


Teaching you to smile again.

by Mangomelions (orphan_account)



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Angst, Bullying, Comfort, Dan has a rough time, Eventual Smut, First Meeting, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Getting Together, High School AU, Homophobia, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Burn, Strangers to Lovers, Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2019-09-20
Packaged: 2020-07-19 20:17:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 16
Words: 22,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19979914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/Mangomelions
Summary: Dan is bullied at high school and meets the new kid, Phil, who kinda turns his life upside down.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> hey i havent written in a while but its summer and i'm bored. Please let me know what you think!! This one might be pretty long, i want a cool project to keep adding to. Self harm, homophobia and bullying trigger warnings. Also, swearing. Be careful, look after yourselves. Thanks for readingXX

It had been years since everyone found out he was gay. His so-called best friend had found his journal and suddenly everyone knew. School became hell. Beatings and name-calling and loneliness. Home was somehow worse. He didn’t get beaten up, no one called him names or threatened him there. It was just him, his mum and his brother, and his mum just ignored him. Worse than that, she relied on him, to keep it together when she didnt. Dan wished he could go back to just being a kid again. He was 17 and things were only getting worse.  
Dan’s bus rides were spent pretending to ignore the sharp words that seemed to follow him wherever he went. His lunchtimes were spent alone, except for the days when certain assholes decided to spend their time tormenting him. One particular Friday, a group of boys caught him alone, and honestly, Dan blacked out most of what happened.

  
Dan ran as soon as the larger boy let go of his wrist. He didn’t even know where he was going, and he could barely see from the blood on his face, after the beating he had just received. He darted down the corridor, shouts of “faggot” and “fucking queer” becoming quieter as he ran. Once he was out of sight of the group, he took a second to breathe and turned left down a different corridor, headed for the bathroom.  
Still worked up and shaking, Dan opened the bathroom door a little too quickly, and was met with some resistance as the door smacked into something solid. There was a thud as something hit the ground, and Dan looked down in horror as he realised it was a person.  
“FUCK,” said the mess of colours sprawled at Dan’s feet.

  
“Fuck, sorry, are you okay?” Dan reached down and pulled the boy to his feet carefully. His racing heartbeat impossibly faster when the stranger caught his eyes and smiled. Dan couldn’t help but just stare at him for a minute. Kind blue eyes looked back at him, from behind a mess of straight black hair. The boy was only slightly shorter than him, and Dan noticed how awkwardly he moved like he wasn’t used to being so tall. A slightly crooked mischievous smile, that soon became a nervous laugh. Dan realised he was still holding the boy’s hand. He let go and dropped his gaze.

“Sorry.” Dan blushed.

“You said that already. I’m fine, just caught me off guard.” The dark-haired boy laughed, then looked at Dan, seemingly only just realising the state he was in. “Fuck, are YOU okay? You look like you’ve been hit by a truck.”

Dan smiled, bitterly. “Yeah, a truck called Brandon Peters.” He wandered over to the mirror, fixing his hair before taking his backpack from his shoulder and rooting around in it.

“I haven’t really met anyone here yet, but he sounds like a dick.” The boy smiled sympathetically at Dan.

“He wasn’t always,” Dan said quietly and the dark-haired boy could tell there was a story there. He didn’t push, though, just smiled kindly at Dan in the mirror. Dan fished a small bag out of his backpack and opened it to reveal wipes, plasters, tweezers and soothing cream.

Jesus, thought the stranger, this guy gets beat up so much he carries a first aid kit?

Dan whimpered as he started cleaning up the blood from where his lip had split. Somehow it had ended up all over him, including around the eye that was already turning purple. The boy visibly flinched at the sound.

“Here, let me.” He said, stepping forward and reaching out for the wipe.  
Dan glanced at him reproachfully, but after a second, he shrugged and handed the boy the wipe in his hand. The touch was gentle, and could actually see what he was doing, so it hurt a lot less to have his help.

Dan fixed his eyes to look into the stranger’s hoping he was too preoccupied to notice. Something about those blue eyes made him feel calm, made him forget about everything else.

“Stop looking at me like that.” The stranger laughed, and Dan averted his gaze, apologizing. He became very aware of how close they were standing, so close that he could feel the other’s breath.

“No, I mean, I don’t mind, it’s just funny. You’re funny.” The blue-eyed boy grinned.  
Dan wasn’t used to someone being so nice to him.  
When his face was clean of blood, Dan picked up the cream from the counter. The other immediately took it from him, peering at the tube sceptically.

“You sure about this, it hurts like hell.” He said, frowning.  
Dan nodded. “It takes down the swelling and I’d rather not look like this all week.”

The stranger smiled at him understandingly and nodded. He pulled Dan’s hand up and held it in front of him, squirting some cream onto the back of his hand and using it as a palette. He let go of Dan’s hand and used both hands to gently rub the cream onto the swelling.  
“Does talking hurt?”  
Dan shook his head.  
“Talk to me.” Stranger said. “It’ll distract you.”  
“About what?” Dan asked.  
“Anything, I don’t even know your name.”  
“Daniel.” Dan didn’t know why he used his full name. “Dan, I mean.”  
“Nice to meet you, Daniel, I’m Phil.” Phil’s mock formality made Dan giggle, an action he immediately regretted when it was met with pain. Dan made a face.  
“Sorry,” both boys said in unison. Their eyes met and they smiled at each other for a moment.  
“I’m new here by the way,” Phil said quietly, trying to continue the conversation.  
“I figured,” Dan replied. “What are you studying?”  
“Media, English language, and graphic design. What about you?”  
“Law, English language, geography.”  
“Law?” Phil asked, a tad surprised.  
“I hate it. I thought it would make my family happy, but it just makes me miserable.”

Phil cupped his hand on Dan’s cheek and moved his face around slightly, inspecting it.  
“Done. You can wash the cream off your hand.” He let go of Dan’s face and turned to rinse his hands under the sink. “You should do what makes YOU happy.”  
Dan almost scoffed at the idea of him being happy, but something about today gave him the idea it was a possibility.  
The bell signalling the end of lunch break rang out, and Dan hurried to collect together his stuff.  
He turned to leave, but Phil caught his sleeve.

“Wait, take this off.” Dan realised he meant the sweater he was wearing, which was spattered with red. He shook his head, sadly.

“You have something underneath, no?” Phil was frowning at him, confused. It was May anyway, it wasn’t like it was cold.

“Phil, I can’t take it off.”

“Why?”

“Cause the t-shirt I’m wearing has short sleeves,” Dan mumbled quietly. He blinked at Phil, surprised by how much he trusted this stranger. It took Phil a minute to realise what he meant.

“Oh. Did someone…” Phil asked carefully.

Dan shook his head. “I just… had a really rough night a few weeks ago.”

Phil looked at him sadly but didn’t move away. He didn’t seem disgusted or shocked. He just seemed sad. Dan watched as Phil rifled through his bag and pulled out a blue hoodie He threw it at Dan, who smiled gratefully.

“You sure? You really don’t have to.”

“It’s fine. Keep it.” Phil turned his back from Dan, to let him switch jumpers in private.

“Thanks,” Dan said when he had done, and Phil swivelled back to face him.

“You’re welcome. I mean, I didn’t do it for free.”

Dan immediately froze, scared at what Phil would ask of him. Phil watched him go pale and laughed slightly.  
“Calm down, Danny, I only mean… You owe me lunch.”  
“Lunch?” Dan’s expression shifted to confusion.  
“Yeah, patching you up meant I didn’t have time to eat.” Phil smiled warmly.  
Dan reached into his bag and brought out his wallet, a gesture that was met with a melodic laugh.  
“No, you spoon, I mean lunch with you.” Phil blushed.  
“Oh.” Dan hesitated. “Are you sure? Most people don’t want to be seen with me.”  
“I’m sure. Here, give me your phone.” Dan handed over his phone, and Phil used it to send himself a text. “Message me later. I’ve got to go. It’s my first day, and I’m already late.”  
Phil ran out of the bathroom, leaving Dan staring at the door in shock. What had just happened?  
He looked down at his phone. It was open to a text conversation with “Phil 😉”.  
Phil had sent himself the message  
Hey :p  
Dan looked at himself in the mirror, adjusting his fringe so that it hid his black eye as best as possible. He looked at the blue hoodie he was wearing and snuggled into the warmth of it. After a second he realised he was late for class and left the bathroom, cursing under his breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I edited this to make it make sense a little more with the rest of, that's kinda the problem with keeping updating a work like this, it's hard to edit when things keep changing.


	2. Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Phil text to arrange plans. Also Dan's family is introduced, Dan is a good brother.

That evening, Dan was laying across his bed piecing together the events that had happened that day, when his phone buzzed.

**Phil: Heya, You okay?**

**Dan: Yea, U?**

**Phil: I’m good. Do you know what our plans for lunch are then?**

**Dan: Oh, are we actually doing that. I still don’t get why you want to hang out with me.**

**Phil: I just moved here from Manchester, I don’t know anyone else.**

**Dan: Oh, right. That explains the accent, I guess.**

**Phil: Also, I like you. I want to be your friend.**

Dan sighed, hoping Phil knew what he was getting himself in for. 

**Dan: I don’t want to hurt you.**

**Phil: You could never. You’re too sweet.**

No one had ever called Dan sweet before. Not without it being an insult, at least. 

**Dan: They could hurt you, for hanging out with me.**

**Phil: I don’t care.**

**Dan: I do. I don’t want you to get hurt.**

**Phil: see, you are sweet.**

**Dan: I’m serious, Phil.**

**Phil: so am I. So what time are we meeting for lunch tomorrow then?**

**Dan: noon. Do you know where the park is?**

**Phil: I literally moved here two days ago. My mum insisted I come to school today even though it’s a Friday, and I got lost four times on my way there.**

**Dan: Where do you live?**

**Phil: Orchard Lane. Number 4, I think.**

Dan almost laughed. 

**Dan: it can’t be number 4.**

**Phil: oh right, 5, mum says.**

**Dan: Look out your window.**

Phil looked out of his window, to find Dan grinning at him from the window of the house next door. It was the most he had seen Dan smile. Phil was disappointed when Dan disappeared from the window.

**Phil: What are the chances?**

**Dan: This town is pretty small.**

**Phil: still. Anyway, what are we doing tomorrow? I’ll meet you outside at 12, then what?**

**Dan: If I told you the name of where we were going you wouldn’t be any wiser.**

**Phil: good point.**

**Dan: so, why did you move?**

**Phil: Dad’s job. It wasn’t like I’m moving away from much. Everyone at my last school was an idiot.**

**Dan: So is everyone here.**

**Phil: Except you.**

Dan’s brother Adrian opened his bedroom door and said something about his mum needing him downstairs.

**Dan: I gotta go, my mum wants to yell at me.**

**Phil: Good luck. Dan, see ya tomorrow XX**

Dan Didn’t know what to make of that. He had four people in his contacts and none of them had ever sent him kisses. Maybe it was a northern thing.

Dan went downstairs to find his mother sat on the sofa, a bottle in her hand.

“You were supposed to pick up milk on your way home.” She spoke dangerously quietly.

“I forgot mum, I’m sorry.” He didn’t forget, he just walked a different way home to avoid getting beaten up again.

“Well, I could just forget to feed you. Forget to clothe you. I could have forgotten to have shagged your father and then you would never have been born.”

If Dan had wanted to, he could have pointed out that she does forget to feed them, that Dan has to save up his own money to buy clothes for him and his brother. That Dan being born was most likely due to her forgetting birth control pills.

He didn’t. Instead, he just said “I’ll go get some," and walked into the hallway. Adrian followed him and they toed on their shoes in silence.

“You coming A?” Dan asked his brother.

Adrian’s only response was to look at Dan pleadingly. Dan understood. He wouldn’t want to be alone with her either.

“Anything else you want, mum?” Dan called.

“Pack of fags would be nice.” Dan flinched at that word even though it meant something different here.

“I’m 17, mum. And I might be tall but other than that I look like I’m 12.” 

“Oh, right. No then.”

Dan and Adrian left the house and set off walking.

“What happened to your face, Dan?” Adrian asks after a while.

“Nothing,” Dan said quietly.

“You always say that. But Nate came into school looking like that, and he said it was because he got into a fight. Did you get into a fight, Dan?”

“No, A, I just tripped okay?”

Adrian was quiet again.

“Can we play out tomorrow? Superheroes, we haven’t played that in ages.”

“You can if you find a friend to go with. Maybe Nate will go with you, as long as he doesn’t get you into any fights.”

“But you are the best superhero, you’re DANOSAUR!” Adrian mimicked a dinosaur.

“I’m hanging out with a friend tomorrow.”

“Really? Who?” Dan rolled his eyes bitterly at his brother’s disbelief.

“His name’s Phil. He just moved in next door.”

“OH, you mean Raven?”

“Raven?” Dan almost laughed. The name kind of suited him.

“I met him yesterday when you were at work. He was unpacking and needed help carrying things from the car.”

Dan smiled, glad his little brother was being helpful.

“He was nice, he gave me chocolate for helping,” Adrian said cheerfully.

“Why do you call him Raven?” Dan asked.

“Cause his mum did.” They had arrived at the store. As well as the milk, Dan bought pasta and sauce. Dan wasn’t great at cooking, but he knew how to make a simple meal, which he often had to.

Dan and Adrian walked home in silence. They got home to find their mum passed out on the couch. Dan cooked dinner for him and his brother, before going up to bed. He fell asleep wondering what would happen the next day, with the beautiful stranger named Phil.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think, or if you've got an idea for what you want to happen.


	3. Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Phil get lunch together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya, this one's a little longer. Enjoy, and leave a comment letting me know what you think.

Phil didn’t usually pay much attention to what he wore, but on this day, it took him way too long to choose an outfit. He didn’t really know why he cared so much, Dan was just a friend, why would he care about what Phil was wearing? He ended up in a blue t-shirt and black skinny jeans. He couldn’t find his contacts so resorted to wearing his glasses, which he didn’t like very much.

He didn’t wait long for Dan, who emerged from his house wearing a long-sleeved black t-shirt and black skinny jeans similar to Phil’s own. He was holding the blue hoodie Phil had given him the day before.

“Here.” He handed it to Phil, who ran back into his house and slung it over the bannister. When he came back outside to meet Dan, the two smiled at each other shyly for a moment. 

"Um, follow me i guess. " Dan started leading Phil down the street in the direction of the main street.

“I met your brother by the way, on Thursday. Well, I’m guessing he’s your brother, either that or the young squatter that lives in your cupboard.” Phil smiled. “He’s sweet. How old is he?”

“10” Dan answered, laughing, before giving Phil a teasing glance. “And he told me about that. By the way, why does your mum call you Raven?”  
“Oh, well, this,” Phil gestured to his hair. “Isn’t natural. I dyed it before the move, wanted a fresh start, I guess. Mum teases me about it.”

“Well, I think it looks good. Brings out your eyes, somehow.” Dan blurted out, blushing. He wondered what Phil looked like with natural hair.

Phil gave him a quick glance to see if he was mocking him. When he realised the compliment was genuine, he mirrored Dan’s blush.

“Thanks.”

They wandered slowly down the street, enjoying each other’s company. The backs of their hands brushed against each other as they walked.

“So do you have any siblings?” Dan asked, eager to find out as much as possible about his new friend.

“Yeah, his name’s Martyn. He’s what? 21? 20?”

“Don’t ask me, he’s your brother.” Dan teased, laughing as Phil rolled his eyes.

“He’s away at Uni. Haven’t seen him in a while.” Phil looked at the floor a little sadly.

“Studying anything interesting?” Dan asked, trying to lighten the mood. He knew a thing or two about missing people, sometimes the best way to deal with it is distraction.

“Business,” Phil answered shortly, shrugging.

“Sounds rather boring, to be honest.”

“Says you, Mr Lawyer.” Phil laughed, turning to poke Dan’s shoulder.

“I’m not taking a Law degree!” Dan hesitates. “Honestly I don’t know if I’m going to University at all.”

“Why not?” Phil asks.

“School is hell for me. I don’t know what I would study and it’s just spending money I don’t have to go get beat up somewhere else.”

Phil resists the urge to hug him.

“Fresh starts can be good. I mean, it can’t get any worse.”

“Can we just drop it?” Dan snaps. He doesn’t say the real reason he doesn’t want to go to university. That he can’t leave his brother alone.

Phil stays silent for a minute and Dan instantly feels guilty for raising his voice.

“I’m sorry. It doesn’t matter.”

Phil smiled at him cheerfully. “That’s okay. So, what do you do for fun around here?”

The conversation continued easily.

When they got into the main street, Dan led Phil into the grocery store. Phil looked at him sceptically but didn’t say anything.

“We’re having a picnic,” Dan said simply. They collected together a little feast, of crisps and fruit and sandwiches, stopping to laugh and tease each other about foods they didn’t like, or weird eating habits. Dan paid, ignoring Phil’s offer to pay his share.

“You gonna tell me where we’re going?” Phil said as Dan continued to lead him through the streets.

“You’ll like it, I swear.” They turned off down a small path, the bleak streets slowly giving way to lush green. As they kept walking, the harsh sounds of the town fading into the distance.

Before long they reached a river, next to a picnic table. Every now and again a leaf drifted down on to the table from the tree above. The only sounds to be heard were the rushing of the river and the singing of birds overhead.

“It’s so pretty here.” Phil looked around as Dan started to spread out their food over the table. “How do you know about this place?”

Dan took a seat on the bench. “It’s a good place to think.”

“What do you think about?” Phil asked, sitting next to him.

“Everything, and nothing. From the meaning of life, the pointlessness of existence, the inevitability of death.” Dan spoke thoughtfully, as he stared vacantly into the distance for a second. Phil watched him curiously.

A smile spread over Dan’s face and he burst out laughing.

“I’m messing with you. I mostly come here to do homework.”

Phil laughed softly.

“Honestly I think contemplating death might be less depressing than Law homework. Pass me the Doritos.” Phil made a face.

“You’re right there. Na, most of the time I just come here so I don’t have to think. There’s no brother to look after, no mum to yell at me.” Dan blushed, realising he had spoken aloud. He hastily grabbed the crisps and handed them to Phil.

“No kids to treat you like a punching bag?” Phil offered gently. Dan nodded. He passed Phil the pot of salsa dip without him having to ask.

“Enough about me. My life is depressing, and I don’t wanna be sad today. And I barely know anything about you.” Dan got shy all of a sudden when he realised how true that was. He was sat, in his favourite place, with someone he barely knew. He had talked to him about his brother, his life. Part of him was just surprised that Phil wanted to talk to him at all.  
“I’m an open book. Ask me anything you want.” Phil said. He knew that was kinda risky, but he found he trusted Dan.

“Favourite colour?” Dan asked after a moment’s thought.

“Blue.” Phil’s answer was instant.

“Animal?”

“Corgi. I want one.” Phil gazed somewhat longingly into the distance, as he imagined his ideal pet. Dan laughed and Phil’s attention was immediately back on him. Phil liked the way Dan’s face lit up when he laughed. It was still swollen from yesterday, but that didn’t stop him looking pretty. Phil blinked and looked away, wondering why he noticed those things about his friend.

“Ooooo, what would you name it?” Dan asked.

“Something unusual, I think. Probably after like, a buffy character or something from an anime.”

“Ooooo” Dan repeated. “You’re a nerd.”

Phil blinked at him in surprise. His words seemed like an insult, but Dan’s tone sounded glad. Phil didn’t understand why until Dan started quizzing him on metal gear solid.

Once he finished eating, Dan stood up, jumping down from the grass onto the riverbank. Phil watched as he skimmed a stone.

“Can I walk to school with you on Monday?” He asked. Part of him wondered how he hadn’t run into him the day before. Dan turned to look at him and shrugged.

“I usually go early, to avoid the crowd, ya know?” Phil hated the way Dan talked so easily about this kind of thing. Like he was used to it.

“You shouldn’t have to.” Phil said quietly. Dan walked towards him and looked him in the eyes. “Maybe, if you weren’t on your own, it wouldn’t be so bad, they would leave you alone?”

Dan shook his head sadly. “They see me with you, they’re just going to hurt you too.”

“I’m your friend, Dan. I want to be at least. And how do you know? Maybe if you hang out with me, they won’t see you as such a loner.” Phil said, exasperated.

Dan’s bit his lip sadly.

“I’m sorry.” Phil apologized. “I didn’t mean to call you a loner, I just meant…”

Dan put his hand up to stop Phil talking.

“They don’t hate me because I’m a loner. I’m a loner because they hate me.”

“Then why?”

“Because I’m obnoxious, too loud, too quiet, too nerdy, not nerdy enough. Cause I’m boring and deadbeat who’s going to be frying fish and chips my whole life.” Dan turned away from Phil and started cleaning up the rubbish they had let on the table.

“Dan, stop. Look at me.” He lightly took Dan by the elbows and spun him around to face him. Dan was suddenly very aware of how close they were standing.

“You are none of those things Dan, I’ve spent today hanging out with you, and you’re a really cool person to be friends with. That can’t be the reason.”

“It doesn’t matter, okay? Look, I’m sorry, I’ve got to go.” Dan shoved the rubbish in his backpack and turned and stormed away down the path.

“Dan!” Phil yelled, running after him. He caught up with him easily, then started walking backwards in front of him, so as to not be ignored.

“Ya know I can’t actually remember how to get home from here.” He said, “You’re stuck with me.”

“Phil, please. We can’t be friends.” Dan kept walking, avoiding Phil’s eye.

“What changed? you were being nice to me ten minutes ago.”

“You were nice to me. You helped me out yesterday, so I took you for lunch, which you talked me into doing. Now we’re even.”

“So you don’t want to be my friend?” Phil’s sentence was punctuated by a loud yelp as Dan grabbed him by the sleeve and yanked him sideways.

Phil frowned at him before he noticed the lamppost Phil almost walked into. Dan rolled his eyes, keeping hold of Phil’s sleeve.

“It’s not that, it’s just…” Dan gave up being cryptic. Phil would find out soon enough. “I’m gay.”

Phil just blinked at him for a moment, before a small smile appeared on his face.

“So?” He said calmly. Dan looked at him in surprise.

“So, if people see us together, they’ll assume you’re gay too. They’ll take it out on you like they do me. I don’t want to do that.” Dan spoke quietly.

“Dan, I want to keep hanging out with you. If that means you have to take turns piecing each other back together, then that’s fine by me.”

Dan stared at him in surprise. No-one had ever risked anything for him. And Phil barely knew him.

“Besides, I don’t exactly look straight, do I? They would probably turn on me whether we’re friends or not.” Phil turned around and continued walked down the path, leaving Dan to wonder what on earth he meant by that.

“You, on the other hand.” Phil continued, “Dress like a funeral.”

“Hey!” Dan whined, pretending to be offended. “Stop stereotyping, anyway.”

“Sorry. Of course, you can look like a funeral if you want. You look good in whatever.” He waved his hand dismissively.

Dan was taken aback by the casual compliment.

“Thank you?” He laughed.

“So, how do the guys at school know about you? Cause you kind of pass, like I wasn’t sure till you told me. Have you got a boyfriend or something?” Phil’s tone turned to the easy, gossipy one that calmed Dan down.

Dan shook his head.

“Ya know Brandon?” He answered, wondering for the millionth time that day why he was telling Phil so much. “He was my best friend when I was 12. He read my journal. Found out I had a crush on him.”

“Brandon, the guy who gave you that shiner? I saw him in Media last period. He’s ugly as hell!” Phil asked, raising his eyebrows.

Dan glared at him. Phil held his gaze until Dan’s expression turned into a grin, then a laugh.

“Yeah, puberty ruined that guy. And he was a lot nicer back in the day.” Dan shrugged. “People change. He told everyone, thinking it was funny. When they started to laugh at me for it, he didn’t stop them. Whispers turned to name-calling turned to shoving, to hitting, to this. Brandon joined in. it kinda broke me.” Dan wasn’t crying and his voice sounded kind of nonchalant.

Phil turned to look at Dan to find he had stopped walking and was staring at the ground.

Phil can’t remember making the decision to hug him but the next thing he knew he had his arms wrapped around Dan.

Dan couldn’t remember the last time anyone hugged him. When he pulled away, the pair kept walking in silence.

“You can do a lot better than Brandon Peters, ya know.” Phil said with a smile.

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”


	4. Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Phil go to school. Phil gets some hate. TW homophobia, violence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya, sorry this chapter took a while, the next will be pretty quick though.

They spent most of Sunday texting each other. They talked about everything they could think of, from video games and anime to which teachers Dan thought were annoying. 

When Monday morning came around Dan found himself somewhat eager to go to school, and see his new friend again. Dan and Adrian left the house to find Phil waiting outside for them. 

“Hey, Raven.” Adrian grinned. Dan shoved him gently. 

“Hey kid, How’s you?” He flashed his gaze towards Adrian enough to let him know it was him he was talking to, but he mostly kept his eyes on Dan. 

Adrian’s face turned sour. 

“I have science first thing.”

“Learning anything interesting?” Phil asked, looking at Adrian kindly. 

“It’s not that. I just sit next to Ellie T and she hates me!” Adrian sighed dramatically. 

“Adrian here has a crush.” Dan teased. 

“DAN!!” Adrian squealed. “I DO NOT.”

Dan and Phil laughed, before turning to look apologetically at Adrian. 

They kept walking for a few minutes before Dan turned to Phil. 

“I told we couldn’t walk together,” Dan whispered, so Adrian couldn’t hear. His voice wasn’t malicious, so Phil just shrugged. 

“I didn’t want to get lost again. Besides, if you didn’t want to walk with me why didn’t you go earlier like you said?”

Dan smiled at him gratefully. 

“How did you know I hadn’t already left?”

“A hunch.”

After they split up with Adrian, the two boys headed in the direction of the high school. Phil nudged Dan in the ribs and caught his eye. 

“Breathe. It’s scaring me. Are you like a vampire or something?”

Dan let out the breath he hadn't realised he was holding. 

“Factor 1000 suncream comes in very handy this time of year.” He laughed, disjointedly. 

Phil stopped walking and turned to look at him. 

“You okay?” He asked, resting his hand on Dan’s arm. Part of Dan wanted to brush him off, but he didn’t. 

“Yeah. I think so.”

“We’ve got English language first. Where’s that?”

Dan turned and pointed, and they started to walk again. 

Once they got inside the building, there were a lot more people around. Phil kept asking Dan questions about his favourite movies, trying to distract him. They were chattering excitedly when Phil looked up and caught the eye of Brandon Peters, who was walking past them. Completely ignoring Dan, Brandon looked directly at Phil, then scanned him head toe. Phil was baffled by what happened next. Without changing his expression, or saying a word, Brandom winked. Before Phil could question this, Brandon had disappeared into the crowd. 

Phil turned his attention back to Dan’s rant about Sword Art Online, who had apparently noticed nothing. 

They got to class and had to split up, as the only spare seat was the other side of the room from Dan. This didn’t prevent them from stealing glances at the other, and making faces whenever the teacher accidentally said something dirty (which was abnormally often).

At lunchtime, they sat together, and to Dan’s surprise, nobody bothered them. After the first ten minutes, Dan let himself relax and just enjoy Phil’s company. Every time Phil laughed, his face lit up, and his eyes sparkled a brilliant blue. Dan blushed and looked away. 

“You alright, Dimples?” Asked Phil, looking concerned at Dan’s sudden change of demeanour. 

“Yeah, I’m good.” Dan smiled at Phil, reassuringly.

“Hey, so, are you doing anything after school? I was wondering if you wanted to come ‘round?”

“Really?” Dan mentally cursed himself for sounding so shocked. “I’d love to.” 

Phil had a free last period. He figured the best place to catch up on work would be the library, so he asked around until someone pointed him in the right direction. Well, they pointed him in  _ a  _ direction He soon found himself in a dead-end corridor, with nobody around. Until he heard a voice behind him. 

“You’re pretty. Lester, ain't it?”

Phil turned to see a group of four boys, slowly pacing towards him. He was surprised to see that Brandon wasn’t amongst them. 

The boy at the front of the group continued. “Avoid the face, right lads?”

Phil didn’t move. Didn’t scream or try to fight. He simply looked into the eyes of the boy and asked. “Why?”

“He speaks!” Shrieked the boy, glancing around at his friends, before fixing his eyes on Phil. “You know he’s a fag, right? That little friend of yours. He’s probably trying to turn you.”

Phil almost said that he didn’t need turning but he didn’t.

“Shut the fuck up. I'd rather take it in the ass than be an asshole.” That sounded better in his head. 

“OOO he’s got lip. We’ll make you regret telling us what to do, little faggot.” The boys started to approach him. 

“I’m taller than you,” Phil said before the breath was knocked out of him. 

At least they avoided his face.


	5. Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan goes round to Phil's place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya, Thanks for reading, i have a lot of fun writing this, send me prompts or whatever,  
> my tumblr is @gay-internet-mafia

When Dan emerged from his Law classroom, he was so eager to meet Phil, he practically ran down the corridor, ignoring his surroundings completely. Unfortunately, this meant he didn’t notice the dark-haired, blue-eyed boy leaning on the wall outside his classroom. Phil watched for a second as Dan stormed down the corridor, before running to catch up with him. Like he had on Saturday, Phil overtook his friend and proceeded to walk backwards in front of him. This time though, Dan stopped immediately. 

“You running from me, Howell?” Phil grinned.

“Running to you actually.” The words escaped Dan’s lips before he had a chance to think. He blushed. “I thought you’d be waiting at the gate.”

Dan kept walking and Phil fell into step next to him. 

So, how was your day?” Dan asked. 

Phil hesitated before saying, “Uninteresting, you?” Dan didn’t need to know about the bruises on his torso. The words ingrained in his brain. 

“Fairly good, actually. My Law teacher spent the lesson talking about marriage equality and it was really cool. No one in my class said anything against it either. Although Law is kinda full of nerds.” Dan sounded happy.

“What does that say about you?” Phil grinned lopsidedly. 

“Shut up. You know what I mean.” 

“So, do you wanna get married someday?” Phil’s words made Dan turn to look at him. “If you find the right person I mean.” Phil continued. 

Dan shrugged. “I dunno. guess I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it.” Dan hadn’t really thought about things like that. Hadn’t thought, for a long time, about what being in a relationship would even be like. He knew he liked boys, but he had long since given up the idea that any of them would be insane enough to like him back. 

Phil bit his lip thoughtfully. “I think I’d like to get married someday.”

“If you meet the right girl?” Dan asked. 

Phil laughed. “If I meet the right person.” He amended easily. Dan’s expression didn’t change, and Phil started to wonder if Dan would ever stop being so clueless. Of course, Phil could straight up tell Dan that he was undoubtedly not straight, but where’s the fun in that? Besides, Phil thought, Dan needs a friend right now, and Phil’s little crush on him would probably just make him uncomfortable.

The conversation took a turn and they chatted about politics and their opinions until the got to Phil’s house. Dan was glad to find they agreed on almost everything.

They opened the door to find Phil’s mum, clearing up the kitchen. 

“Hello child.” She says, to Phil, before her eyes drift to the boy behind him. “And child’s friend.”

Dan smiled, warmly. She was weird. “Heya, I’m Dan, Phil invited me ‘round, I hope that’s ok.”

“Of course, Love. Just don’t let this one lead you astray.” Her tone indicated she was joking. 

She turned back to Phil, who, after dropping his bag by the door, had started fishing biscuits out of a pot by the microwave.

“Hey! Those are only for after tea.” She shook her head as he brought a biscuit back to Dan. He looked at Phil’s mum questioningly. 

“Oh, go on, then, you two.” She looked at the clock on the wall behind her, that read half-past three. “Dinner will be at about half six, I assume you’re staying, Dan?”

Phil looked at Dan pleadingly. It was so cute he had to bite his lip to refrain from giggling. 

“I can’t, sorry. I have to cook at home and make sure Adrian’s okay. I can only hang around for an hour or two.” He smiled sadly. 

“Adrian? The sweet kid who helped us out the other day?”

“Yeah, that Adrian,” Phil answered through a mouth full of biscuit. “Dan’s brother.” 

“Is your mother not in?” Phil’s mum asked. 

“Um, no, she’s working late.” Dan glanced at Phil. He wondered if Phil could tell he was lying. 

“Go get him, love, he shouldn’t be in the house on his own. He can stay for tea too, the more the merrier.”

Dan looked at Phil, who nodded reassuringly. 

They turned and left the way they came. 

As soon as the door shut behind them, Phil turned to his friend with questioning eyes. 

“Everything ok?”

“I lied. I’m sorry. My mum’s home.” Dan spoke quickly. “But she’s not exactly great and I didn’t want to tell your mum that.”

“That’s okay, Dan. It’s alright.” Phil put his arm on Dan’s shoulder. Dan found himself with nowhere else to look but Phil’s eyes, and was somehow instantly calmer. 

“Come on, let’s go get your brother.” Phil continued. Dan nodded and started walking towards his house. 

To Dan’s relief, his mother wasn’t in the living room. Adrian was curled up on the sofa, playing a videogame. 

“Hey, Raven.” He said when Dan and Phil came in. Dan dropped his bag by the door. 

“Don’t I get a hello?” Dan asked, prodding his brother’s side. “Oi. We’re going next door for dinner.” 

“Should I get Mum? It might take a while to get her, ya know.” ‘Sober’, Dan’s mind filled in the gap. 

“Na, kid, just us, and if anyone asks, Mum’s working tonight.”

“Mum has a job?” Adrian laughed incredulously. Dan flushed and looked at Phil apologetically. Phil just smiled, softly. 

“Ssshhh. If anyone asks, she works at Tesco.” Dan said, switching off Adrian’s game. On their way out, Phil picked up a controller from the arm of their chair where Adrian had left it. 

Dan shot him a puzzled look. 

“I only have two,” Phil answered simply. 

When they returned to Phil’s house, they said a quick hello to Phil’s mum, who gave Adrian a biscuit and went up to Phil’s room. 

Dan looked around the room and smiled. It was very Phil, from the blue and green bedspread to the Pokemon and anime plushies scattered around the surfaces. There were still a few boxes on the floor. 

Phil saw Dan smiling and grinned at him. 

“It’s much bigger than my old room.” He said, flopping on the bed, before shuffling up and making room for the other two. Adrian sat down immediately, between Dan and Phil. 

They Played Mario kart for a little while until Adrian saw an anime boxset on Phil’s shelf and got excited.

About ten minutes into the first episode, Dan got a text. He got his phone out of his pocket and saw Phil’s name.

**Phil: U OK?**

Dan looked up at Phil, who had turned his attention back to watching the screen.

**Dan: I’m literally two feet away from you, why did you text this?**

**Phil: You didn’t answer the question.**

**Dan: What question?**

**Phil: Are you okay?**

**Dan: Why wouldn’t I be?**

**Phil: I dunno, you seemed a bit weird earlier.**

**Dan: I didn’t like you being in my house.**

**Phil: Why? It’s not like I’m gonna judge you. I don’t care where you live, or whatever.**

**Dan: I know, it just feels weird.**

**Phil: Explain?**

**Dan: I want to keep you very separate from all the shit in my life. You deserve better than that.**

**Phil: It’s okay. I don’t mind. We can deal with the shit bits together, make them less shit. You don’t have to pretend with me.**

Dan was almost crying. He looked up to find Phil staring at him, so he smiled, and held his gaze for a minute. 

“Dinner” Phil’s Mum put her head around the door. 

“Thanks, Kath.” Adrian replied, and Dan jumped, almost forgetting he was there. 

They switched off the television and left the room, Adrian leading. Without looking at him, Phil caught Dan’s hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze, dropping it immediately. 


	6. six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> dinner followed by meaningful conversation

They sat around the dinner table with Kath and a man who was introduced as Nigel. After pleasantries and serving out food, Nigel turned to Dan. 

“So, Dan, Phil mentioned you’re studying Law?” Dan almost choked. He looked at Phil. He had mentioned Dan to his Dad? 

“I hate it. I don’t know why I took it.” Dan admitted. 

“I can imagine. So do you know what you want to do then if it isn’t Law?

“No idea.” Dan looked down at his dinner. Come October, he would have to start applying to universities. 

He expected disapproval but was met with a laugh. 

“That’s okay,” Nigel said kindly. “I am 42 years old and I still don’t know what I wanna do when I grow up, so I can’t expect a teenager to have it all figured out.” 

“What do you do?” Adrian asked, politely.

“I work at some tech firm thing. It’s boring, but it pays the bills. Naa, I wanna be doing something, like teaching or whatever. Something that makes me proud of what I’ve achieved here on this earth.”

Kath coughed unsubtly. 

“I mean, apart from this, ya know, apart from my family. You shall always be my pride and joy, dear, but I’d love to work somewhere that was a privilege rather than a chore.”

“You can always become a teacher. If you have an undergraduate degree, you just need like, a year’s training and then you can start teaching.” Dan suggested. 

“I’ll look into that.” Nigel winked. 

The conversation shifted as Kath asked Phil about homework, and Adrian remembered that he had some due tomorrow. 

When they had finished, Dan thanked them for the meal, and pulled Phil into the kitchen, taking out the dirty plates as he went. 

They stacked the dishwasher together in silence before Dan turned to Phil. Phil watched as he opened his mouth, about to say something, and closed it again. 

Dan took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Phil’s waist. Phil winced in pain but didn’t move away. Dan noticed Phil go tense, but as Phil’s arms encircled him he convinced himself he imagined it. 

“Thank you.” Dan squeezed his eyes shut as he buried his face into Phil’s shoulder. 

“What for?” Phil asked, confused. 

“Just, being you, I guess.” He pulled back, and before Phil could reply, Dad had disappeared back into the other room. 

“We better go, A,” Dan rested his hands on the back of his brother’s chair. After thanking Phil’s parents and running upstairs to collect Adrian’s PlayStation controller, Dan, Phil and Adrian walked over to the house next door. Before disappearing inside, Adrian turned to hug Phil, slightly too enthusiastically. This time Dan saw the look of pain cross Phil’s face. As soon as Adrian disappeared inside the house, Dan grabbed onto Phil’s sleeve and dragged him around the back of the house. 

In the little patch of grass, Dan called a back garden, Phil pulled his arm from dan’s grasp. 

“What? Is everything alright?” Phil blinked at his friend, baffled. 

“I thought so, but apparently not.” Dan placed his hand on Phil’s chest, and moved it down slowly, staring intensely into Phil’s eyes.

When he reached a certain point, Phil couldn’t disguise the flinch. Dan studied his face. 

“I knew it.” Dan moved his hands away and stepped back. 

“Dan, I-” Phil protested. He tailed off as he caught Dan’s eyes. So scared, so sad. 

“Show me,” Dan spoke quietly, but his tone was such that Phil knew not to argue. 

He pulled his t-shirt over his head and stood still as Dan’s eyes scanned his chest. 

Dan held back tears as he took in the sight before him. 

He could tell Phil’s body was normally beautiful, but right now it just looked angry. Black and blue standing out against his pale skin. 

“Who?” Dan asked, a fierceness in his eyes that Phil hadn’t seen before. 

“I don’t know. Some guys from school. It’s not a big deal, Dan.” Phil insisted. 

“No. I can’t let you get hurt because of me.” Dan turned away and sat on the low stone wall, staring at the ground, and losing his battle against tears. 

Phil put his shirt back on before walking over to Dan, falling to his knees, and engulfing the boy is a fierce hug. Dan cried silently into his shoulder for a moment, before trying to pull away, aware that Phil must be in pain from this. Phil only tightened his grip. 

“Dude, you met me like three days ago. You don’t have to do any of this.” Dan muttered

“I like you.” Phil said simply, loosening his grip enough for Dan to pull away. 

“Then why didn’t you tell me?” Dan asked, searching Phil’s eyes. 

“I just, I knew it would make you sad. And I don’t want to be the one making you sad.” Phil’s voice was soft, and Dan felt himself melting.

Dan took Phil’s hands in his own and sighed. “Thank you. For all of this. But I need you to promise me something.”

Phil just nodded.

“From now on, if you’re in trouble, you call me. If something happens, you tell me. If you wanna be on my team, if you want it to be you and me against the world, fine, but you need to talk to me.” Phil stood up and dragged Dan up with him. 

“If you’ll promise the same?” He held out a pinky and Dan linked them together, giggling. 

“We’re like, nine-year-olds on the school playgrounds, talking about starting a gang.”

“Are we a gang now?” Phil laughed.

“What would our gang be called?” Dan asked thoughtfully.

“The Kool Kidz. With a K.” Phil replied instantly. 

“Cool? I don’t think anyone has ever described us as cool, Phil.”

“What about Kute? The Kute bois?”

“Are we cute?” Dan cringed, putting a hand to his forehead, seemingly regretting his decision to be friends with Phil. 

“You’re cute,” Phil said simply. Dan just shook his head at him, grinning, and swatted at his shoulder. 

“Get away. Your mum will be wondering where you are.”

“Goodbye Dan,” Phil called, still smiling as he looped around the garden fence, and disappeared into his house, leaving Dan stood, shaking his head in disbelief with a wide smile spread over his face. How the hell had he gotten this lucky?


	7. seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff.

Dan woke up at 6 am not to his alarm, but to the sound of light tapping on his window. After quickly pulling on some jeans, Dan threw his curtain open to see Phil, hanging out his bedroom window, throwing rocks across the gap. 

“If you smash my window you’re paying for the repairs,” Dan called out grumpily, after opening his window.

Phil, scruffy haired, and dressed in pyjamas and glasses, grinning at him. Dan couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. 

“Have you got the first period off today?” Phil asked, yelling across the gap.

“Yeah, I have. Wanna go somewhere?” 

“Sure,” Dan called. “Give me a minute to get dressed.” 

He moved across his room, and changed into jeans, before taking off his pyjama shirt and looking around for a jumper or something. 

After a minute he realised he had stumbled back in front of the window, and he looked across the gap to find Phil was staring at him. Dan looked down at his arms and the marks that littered them, and back at Phil, with large, sad eyes. Phil caught his eyes and looked away, stepping away from the window. A second later Dan got a text. 

**Phil: Sorry. come over when you’re ready, we’ll have breakfast @ mine.**

**Dan: They’re pretty garish aren’t they?**

**Phil: The scars on your arms weren’t what I was looking at, Dan. It’s ok.**

Dan frowned but left it at that. Ten minutes later he was Knocking at Phil’s door, and being dragged inside by the sleeve. 

Phil started enthusiastically chatting about a videogame, and they talked lightheartedly until they finished their cereal. 

“So, what are we doing this morning?” Dan asked, and Phil just shrugged. 

“I dunno, whatever you’d like, wanna just wander about?” 

“Sounds good.” 

They washed up their bowls, splashing water at each other and giggling. After drying them, Dan proceeded to flick the tea towel at Phil, who reached out to grab it as Dan turned to run and Phil caught him, by putting an arm either side of his body and grabbing his wrists. Both boys were laughing, and Phil took the towel off of Dan and used it to capture him. Dan wriggled and tried to escape, but only managed to twist in Phil’s hold, turning so he was facing Phil. 

Phil studied Dan’s face. It had almost healed from his encounter the other day, and now, with Dan smiling back at him like nothing else mattered, it was easy to pretend that nobody else existed. Phil shuffled so that both ends of the towel were in one hand, then used the other hand to boop Dan’s nose. Dan tried to free his arms, laughing, but they were pinned to his sides by the towel. 

Phil pulled Dan closer, and Dan’s laughter fizzled out as he felt Phil’s breath on his face. Phil’s free hand went up to move Dan’s hair out of his eyes. His fingertip lingered gently on the side of Dan’s face. Phil let go of one side of the towel but didn’t seem to notice as he looked into Dan’s eyes. The newly freed Dan didn’t even look away, let alone move. Seconds seemed like hours, as they just stared at each other, having a conversation without words. 

When they heard a sound from the doorway, they snapped out of it and Phil turned to put the tea towel away. Dan watched Phil’s mum, as she ransacked through the clutter one the surfaces.

“You okay?” Dan asked.

“What? Oh, hi, Dan, sorry, I’m just looking for my keys. I’m late for work.” Frustration was evident in Kath’s voice so Dan spun quickly, scanning the room. When he saw a set of keys, he took an abnormally large step towards the counter to pick them up, then turned in a smooth movement to dangle Kath’s keys in front of her. Kath stopped rummaging and took them, smiling gratefully. 

“Thanks, love. I’ve got to go, you boys be good. See you later.” She moved and kissed Phil’s head before leaving. 

A few minutes later, Dan and Phil followed her out of the door, their backpacks slung lazily over their shoulders. Ten minutes later they lay side by side on the riverbank, next to the bench they had sat at for lunch a few days before. Dan looked up at the clouds. 

“That one is a mermaid.”

“Nah, more like a dolphin,” Phil replied.

“What about that one?”

“I dunno, a handbag?”

“Yeah, I can see that.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes more.

“Hey, can you teach me that thing you were doing the other day?”

“What?” Dan asked.

“Skimming stones. I’ve always wanted to learn how to do that.” 

“Oh yeah?” Dan got to his feet slowly. “It’s all about finding the right stone. It needs to be flat.”

They looked around for stones and when they had found two good ones, Dan demonstrated the motion, showing Phil how to hold the stone between his finger and thumb, and properly flick his wrist. 

Dan’s stone danced along the surface of the river, leaving a trail of circular ripples in the water, before disappearing beneath the surface. He motioned for Phil to try, and Phil flung his stone into the river. It instantly disappeared into the water with a splash.

After some more stone searching, and another demonstration, Phil tried again, still to no avail. 

Dan picked up another stone, and reached out, lifting Phil’s hand, before turning it over and positioning the stone correctly. He then moved to stand behind Phil, loosely holding his wrist. He guided Phil’s hand through the motion a few times, slowly. 

“Here. Like this, you got it?” Dan said softly. “Now on this next one, let go.”

Phil did as he asked and the stone glided effortlessly across the water’s surface. 

Phil turned his head to grin at Dan. 

“We did it!” His face was lit up like a child’s on Christmas. 

Dan beamed back at him, before realising he was still holding Phil’s wrist. He looked down at it and the grin disappeared from his face. Phil’s watch read 9:45. He let go of Phil and walked back to where they had left their backpacks. 

“We have to go, I have class in 15 minutes.” He said sadly. 

They collected their bags and headed towards the school. 

“Can we come back after class? I wanna practice, so I can do it on my own.” Phil asked. Dan nodded and smiled. 


	8. eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan and Phil meet some new friends (OCs)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey, let me know what you think, I feel like the story went in a completely different direction in this one, but I'm just gonna go where the story takes me. (Do most fic writers have an actual plan for fics? I feel like the fic is like, deciding its own story. I have no clue where this is going.)

Their first lesson of the day was the English class they shared. This time, Phil the lesson talking to the girl next to him, after discovering a mutual love for the TV show Buffy. 

The girl, whose name was Zoey, had dirty blond hair and blue eyes. She was pretty, thought Dan as he looked over at Phil to find him giggling with her. Dan didn’t like the feeling that rose inside of him when he watched Phil give the girl his usual lopsided grin. After that class, Dan waited outside and wasn’t surprised when Phil emerged from the classroom with Zoe. She was laughing at something he said. 

“Hey, Dan,” Phil said, grinning when he saw Dan waiting for him. “This is Zoey.” 

“I know, we’ve been in the same class forever,” Dan said, putting on a fake smile. 

“Hey, Dan, what do you think of this new project, then? Any ideas?” Zoey asked, looking up at Dan. 

“Haven’t given it much thought yet.” He shrugged. “Phil are we going for lunch?” 

“Yeah, sure.” Phil stepped to follow Dan when Zoey caught his arm. 

“Why don’t you two come sit with me and my friends?” She asked. Dan felt bad. Zoey was only trying to be nice. 

Phil looked at Dan questioningly, and when he nodded, Phil passed it on to Zoey and they followed her to the cafeteria. 

Zoey’s friends consisted of a quiet, geeky kid, who was introduced as Theo, and a dark-haired girl called Alex, who, as soon as she saw Zoey, started enthusiastically telling her about how someone in her Art class had painted a flower that the teacher said: “looked a little too phallic.” Her laugh was infectious. 

Dan and Phil were both glad that the group wasn’t too big. Dan tried to relax, but groups of friends weren’t something he was used to, and these people might not know about him being gay yet. What if they reacted badly? And they all seemed like really nice people, he didn’t want them to get hurt because of him. But then again, being in a group like this might make those guys back off. 

Dan was snapped out of his train of thought by a sharp nudge from Phil. He looked up accusingly, but Phil directed his gaze to the space under the table between where Alex and Zoey were sat. Their hands were loosely intertwined. He looked up at their faces, as they laughed with each other. There was something in Zoey’s eyes when she looked at Alex. How could he have missed it before? 

Dan relaxed somewhat but started watching them a little more, observing how they interacted, how they spoke and moved. Phil started talking to Theo about a new film that had just come, and Dan found himself joining in. 

“Hey, Theo,” Alex yelled across the table, throwing a mars bar wrapper his way. “What did you say about Scarlett Johanson?” 

Theo repeated his earlier comment about how the acting of said actress would bring down the whole film. 

“I’ll have you know, Scarlett Johanson is a wonderful actress, she was great in all those Marvel films.”

“You’re only saying that because you have a crush on her.” Zoey contributed, making Alex instantly drop her hand in favor of crossing her arms and scowling. 

“I do not.” She protested. 

Zoey looked at her apologetically, before leaning over and kissing her cheek, causing Alice’s expression to change to one of shocked delight. 

“It’s okay, I’m hotter than Scarlett anyway,” Zoey said before changing the subject, asking Dan something about his brother. 

Dan was shocked for a minute, as he couldn’t remember mentioning Adrian. 

“I’m Nate’s sister.” She explained when she saw Dan’s confused expression. 

Nate was a friend of Adrian’s, one of the only ones Dan had met. Thinking about it now, Nate and his sister shared the same soft face and blue eyes. 

The bell rang, for their next class, and they all hurried to pack away their things. 

“Give me your phone number.” Alex handed her phone to Phil. “I’ll text you Zoey and Theo’s and you can give me Dan’s.” 

“Sure.” Phil smiled, typing in his number and passing the phone back. 

“Walk me to class?” Phil asked Dan after the others had gone. Dan, who had a free next period, nodded and they headed off towards Media. 

When they got to the class, Dan turned to Phil and smiled, shaking his head. 

“What?”

“Just this. You’ve been here what, four days? Five?” Dan couldn’t be bothered to do the math. “And already like, we’ve got friends.” 

“You’re easy to like, Dan. You just gotta start conversations. Be yourself.” Phil winked before turning and slipping through the door into the Media classroom.

At the end of the day, Dan met Phil outside of the school gates, and they walked to the river together. 

This time Dan sat on the bank, watching Phil as he practised, his technique improving with each flick of the wrist. 

“Ya know soon this bank is gonna run out of flat stones,” Dan said, tucking his knees to his chest. 

“You’re probably right. Enough for one day.” Phil threw the last stone in his hand, and it arced perfectly, leaving a long trail that made Dan whistle.

“You’ve got it!” Dan commended as Phil joined his on the riverbank, sitting close to him, so their elbows touched. 

They sat there in comfortable silence for a minute, listening to the sounds of the river. Dan looked at the boy sat next to him. How crazy it was that a few days before, he had no clue who this person was, let alone that he would become so important to him. It didn’t feel like they were getting to know each other, it felt like they were remembering each other like they had known each other their whole lives.

“Alex and that lot, they seem cool,” Dan said, after a while. 

“Yeah.” Phil agreed. 

“I didn’t know there was anyone else at school that was,  _ y’ know _ . But they didn’t even seem to be hiding it.” 

“It’s not something people should have to hide.” Phil smiled, a little sadly.

“Yeah, it’s not. And they seem happy. Although I gotta be honest, I thought Zoey was hitting on you when I saw you in class together. Well, I thought you were hitting on her.”

Phil laughed at the idea. 

“You really don’t know when someone is and isn’t flirting, do you?” Phil asked. 

Dan just shrugged. 

“Naa, she’s not my type,” Phil said after a minute. 

“What is your type?” Dan was somewhat curious, part of him just wanting to torture himself.

“Tall, brunet, brown eyes. Cute smile, smart but with a good sense of humour. Kind.” 

Dan was surprised by how specific he was being, especially about appearance. He hadn’t pegged Phil as one to be overly picky or judgemental when it came to looks so he was a little taken aback by the list. He wondered if Phil was basing this off of a girl from his past, or someone he had a crush on from school. He searched his mind for any girl he knew that fit that description but was drawn a blank. 

“Have you ever dated someone?” Dan asked.

Phil shook his head. “I mean, sort of. I’ve kissed a girl before, been on a few dates, but I wasn’t really into it. What about you?”

“Naaaa, there aren’t any gay people at school.” 

“Dude you sat on a table with three other gay people today.”

“Theo?” Dan asked. 

Phil just laughed, getting to his feet and offering his hand to Dan. 

“Do you have good gaydar, or what?” Dan asked, letting Phil pull him up.

“Don’t use that word.” Phil cringed.

“Seriously though, is Theo gay?” Dan asked, wide-eyed. 

“How should I know?” Phil shrugged, laughing at Dan’s expression. “Wait, if he was, would you like, be into him?”

“I barely know the guy.” Dan shook his head. “I don’t think so. Being gay isn't the only requirement for me to like a guy, like, I’m not that desperate. Theo seems nice and all, but he’s not for me.” Dan’s brain finished the train of thought. ‘Because I’m already falling for someone else’

“Hmmm. Okay.” Phil said thoughtfully. 

Something in Phil’s mind took this as a reminder. ‘Even if I tell him I’m gay, he won’t be into me.’ He thought. 

“Naaa, I’m happy being alone.” Dan joked. 

“You’re not alone.” Phil looked deep into Dan’s eyes and for the first time, Dan believed this was true.


	9. Nine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dan talks to Zoey, and the gang hang out at the park. Dan and Phil have some cute moments.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heya. My gf drew some cool art for this fic.  
> https://66.media.tumblr.com/7b6e005c03e93648b38671369e1f60c2/58ee291992bce710-7d/s640x960/2f4645ae3e494154ab4c1b91d40f7eb82204b69e.png  
> Massive thanks to her. Hope you enjoy the latest chapter.

After they all swapped phone numbers and chatted a little on a group chat Alex had made, until one by one they each said goodnight, leaving only Dan and Zoey. They switched to normal texting so they wouldn’t bother the others with notifications. 

**Dan: Hey I wanted to ask you something**

**Zoey: Yeah?**

**Dan: You and Alex? You don’t have to answer I mean, it’s none of my business.**

**Zoey: What’s the question? Yeah, she’s my girlfriend. It’s not like we really hide it.**

**Dan found himself filled with questions.**

**Dan: How long have you been together? Are you out to your families?**

**Zoey: Her Dad doesn’t know, but her Mum does. We’ve been together for almost a year now.**

**Dan: And your family?**

**Zoey: They all know. They treat Alex like family, and she’s great with Nate.**

**Dan: Does Nate know?**

**Zoey: Yeah. Why wouldn’t he?**

Dan thought about this for a moment. He was fairly sure Adrian didn’t know about him. His mum did, he had told her after she had to come into school and collect him when he first got beaten up. She hadn’t responded too well, but more than anything seemed inconvenienced due to having to collect him.

**Dan: I don’t know, just people always say kids shouldn’t be around that kinda thing.**

**Zoey: Screw that. Do YOU think that? That I and my girlfriend aren’t PG.**

Dan thought back to when he was Adrian’s age. Getting his first crush, thinking he was a freak. Maybe if Dan had known someone like Zoey, someone unashamed of who they are, things wouldn’t have been so bad. He thought about the kids who hurt him, who called him names. Cause They thought he was different. Maybe if they had grown up around someone like him, they wouldn’t have been so threatened by the ways he was different. 

**Dan: No, of course not. I think it’s good. Just, brave I guess.**

**Zoey: I hate that it is. I shouldn’t have to be brave in order to hold hands with my girlfriend or make a joke about a celebrity crush. I don’t want everything I do to be a statement. I just want it to be normal.**

**Dan: I get that. But I still think you’re brave. And Alex too. I see what you guys have, and I want that someday.**

**Zoey: You don’t already have it?**

**Dan: what do you mean?**

**Zoey: I thought you and Phil were a thing.**

So she does know about Dan. Or she might have guessed from the conversation. It’s not like Dan was trying to hide it. 

**Dan: He’s my friend. He lives next door and I only met him last week. Plus, he’s straight.**

**Zoey: You sure about that?**

**Dan: Don’t Zoey. Please. I can’t go down that road. Falling for a straight guy. Don’t give me false hope. I’m happy for him to be my friend.**

**Zoey: But you don’t know if he’s straight. Did he explicitly say he was?**

**Dan: I don’t know. But I don’t want to assume anything. Besides, it doesn’t matter if he’s straight or not. He doesn’t like me like that. Just drop it ok?**

**Zoey: Okay, fine. I’m sorry. I won’t push. Still, if anything does happen there, you need to call me right away.**

**Dan: ZOEY!**

**Zoey: Okay sorry. It’s late and I’ve got to go, but I’ll see you at lunch tomorrow? You and Phil are really cool, I hope we can all be friends.**

The next few weeks went by pretty quickly. Dan and Phil spent a lot of time hanging out together, at the riverside, or hanging out with the others in town. Occasionally, the pair would go back to Phil’s house to play videogames and enjoy Kath’s cooking. On days when Dan worked, he always turned on his phone after his shift to find hundreds of notifications from the group chat. Lunchtimes were full of laughter and noise and for once, Dan didn’t like an outcast. He still had bad days, and some days he was quiet and preferred hanging around with only Phil, but the others were understanding and his bad moods didn’t last long. 

Dan didn’t get picked on as much, and neither did Phil. He hadn’t been beaten up again but whenever he ran into those guys, they made rude gestures at him, sometimes accompanied by a slur. He told Dan when this happened, but it didn’t really bother him. What did worry him, though, was the looks he was getting from Brandon. Rather than laughing at his friend’s jokes, or sneering at Phil, Brandon just stared at him. It made feel very cold, in a way that an extra jacket wouldn’t help. Dan’s encounters with that group were a little more aggressive, but for some reason, they were no longer violent. Dan was too caught up in his new life to wonder what had changed. 

One Saturday in early June, Dan was in the park, with Adrian, Nate and Zoey. The younger boys played together, running around the green grinning. From his seat on a nearby bench, Dan smiled over at his brother, glad to see Adrian so happy. Zoey had been idly chatting Dan about music when two arms snaked around her and a chin rested itself on her shoulder. 

“Heya.” Alex’s voice was a little muffled as she mumbled into the fabric of Zoey’s shirt. 

Dan looked around to see Phil, grinning from behind him, offering him a coffee from a tray of hot drinks. 

Dan reached up and took it, smiling gratefully at Phil. Dan stood up, and moved to sit on the ground nearby, leaning his back against a tree. Zoey pulled Alex down into the space Dan left, and after giving the pair their coffees, Phil went to sit by Dan. 

Dan glanced back over at his brother, only to realise that Adrian was staring in fascination at Alex and Zoey, who was now curled up together, giggling softly. Dan watched as something seemed to click in his brain. A second later Adrian had turned back to Nate and resumed his game. 

“Did you see that?” Dan nudged Phil, which didn’t require much effort at all considering how close they were sat. 

“What?” Phil, who had been staring absentmindedly at the ground, looked at Dan in surprise. 

“Adrian. He-” Dan didn’t know how to explain. 

“Is he okay?” Phil glanced over at the younger boy worriedly. 

Dan smiled a soft, thoughtful smile. 

“Yeah, he’s more than okay.” Something in Dan’s tone stopped Phil asking any more questions. Instead, Phil placed his empty cup on the ground beside him and shuffled a little closer to Dan. Dan’s heart sped up a little from the warmth he could feel radiating from Phil. Phil placed his head on Dan’s shoulder and within a few seconds, his eyes closed and his body relaxed. Every third breath there was a faint little snoring sound. 

Dan turned his head as gently as possible, to look at the mop of dark hair nestled into him. The gentle weight of Phil’s head on his shoulder calmed him, and he couldn’t help noticing that at this moment he felt completely safe. He felt invincible.

Looking up at the other two, Dan realised Zoey was ogling him and Phil with wide eyes. She caught Dan’s eye and raised an eyebrow, smirking. Dan glared at her, flipping her off playfully. Zoey’s response was to turn to her girlfriend and gesture to where the guys were sat.

“Awwwww. I knew it!” Alex laughed. Dan rolled his eyes. 

The girls chatted to Dan softly, until Alex had to leave for her waitressing shift. Zoey left with her, and Nate and Adrian followed soon after, telling Dan they were headed to Nate’s.

“You coming?” Adrian asked, looking from Dan to Phil, with questioning eyes. 

“Nah, I don’t want to wake him up,” Dan spoke quietly. “I’m sure we’ll leave in a little bit.” 

“Okay. Well, I’ll see you tomorrow, I think I’m staying over at Nate’s tonight.” Adrian smiled and turned to leave. 

“Tell Zoey to message me about the English paper,” Dan called after him. 

“Okay. Bye.” Dan watched the two boys as they disappeared out of sight behind some trees. 

Dan carefully retrieved his phone from his pocket, put in an earphone, and turned on his music. The song Starlight by Muse started to play, and he let his head fall so that his cheek rested against Phil’s hair. He let his eyes closed and let the music wash over him. 

They stayed like that for a little while. When Phil stirred, Dan instantly moved his head away and waited as Phil slowly came back to reality, shifting away from Dan. 

“Hey.” Phil’s voice was soft and sleepy. “I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay,” Dan said a little too quickly.

Phil stretched out like a cat before looking around. 

"How long was I asleep for?" Phil asked. 

"Um, I dunno." He looked at his phone to check the time. "It's half five now, so an hour and a half. Alex had a five o'clock shift and Adrian is with Nate."

Phil stood up and hauled Dan to his feet, picking up their plastic cups, and sighing. 

"Maybe I should have had coffee." Phil laughed. 

"You didn't?" Dan frowned at him.

"Hot chocolate." 

"It's June." 

"So?"

Dan laughed at him. They headed towards the park gates, throwing their rubbish in the bin as they went. 

When Dan got home, he could tell straight away that something was up. There was music playing, and a strong smell of alcohol. It wasn't a familiar smell though, his mum must have picked a different poison tonight. As Dan climbed the stairs towards his bedroom, he heard angry voices coming from his mother's room. 

"You Bitch! Why didn't you tell me?" A man's voice cut through the air. 

"I didn't exactly hide it from you." Dan recognised his mum's voice. 

"You can't expect me to just be ok with you having two little brats."

"I'm not expecting you to be their father, for God's sake. You're not my boyfriend, Liam. You're just someone I fuck when I'm bored. Is that okay with you?" 

Dan didn't hear a reply, but after a second there was a small crash as something fell over, and a series of odd noises escaped the room. Dan walked back downstairs, and out of the door. He turned down the street, not knowing where he was going, but wanting to be far away from that house. 

A minute later his phone started ringing. 

"Hello?"

"Dan?" It was Phil's voice. 

"What do you want Phil?" Dan snapped. He instantly felt guilty. Phil didn't seem fazed. 

"I saw you leaving your house. Is everything ok? Did something happen?" 

"I don't want to talk about it, Phil." Dan said, his voice deflated. 

"Come over. You're staying at mine tonight." It wasn't a question.

"It's fine, Phil, I'm fine."

"You're obviously not, and if you're not staying in your house you need somewhere to go."  
Dan hesitated. 

"You're sure?"

"Yes, now get your butt over here." 

Dan laughed and hung up, turning on his heel and heading for Phil's place. 

As soon as he walked up to the door, it opened, and Phil appeared, engulfing him in a hug. 

When he pulled back, Dan smiled at him. 

"Hello again. Anything interesting happen in the 12 minutes since I last saw you?" Dan grinned half-heartedly. 

Phil shook his head, turning to lead Dan upstairs. "Not really, my life is boring when you're not around." 

They sat on Phil's bed for a while, playing Mario and cracking stupid jokes. Somehow, in the little pocket universe that was him and Phil, he managed to escape from the world. 

When Kath knocked on the door to say that dinner was ready, Dan replied to thank her but say he'd already eaten. 

After she had gone, Phil turned to his friend with a frown. 

"You didn't have time to eat."

Dan gave a small smile. "Lost my appetite."

l gave a small nod before disappearing downstairs. He returned after about fifteen with two slices of cake and a sandwich. 

"You should really eat something," Phil said, handing the sandwich to Dan, who took it, without arguing. Phil clocked this and wondered if Dan's aversion to dinner was more about the people than the food. 

Phil put on an episode of Buffy the Vampire slayer, to watch while they ate, and they fell into a comfortable silence. 

When the episode finished, Phil ran downstairs with their plates, leaving Dan to change into the pyjamas he had given him. 

Phil came back a little too early, by accident, and entered the room in just enough time to watch Dan pulling his pyjama shirt over his head. Phil found himself feeling Deja Vu as his eyes swept across Dan's torso, and then landed on his arms. A small smile crept over his face as he realised the marks on Dan's arms were now faded. Dan turned to face Phil, and it hit them, at seemingly the same time, that the t-shirt Phil had given him had short sleeves. 

"I'm sorry. I don't own a long-sleeved pyjama top." Phil said. 

"I don't mind if you don't. Just remind me to put on a jumper before I leave the room." Dan's voice was quiet, his eyes fixed on the floor. 

"Ok." When Dan looked at him, he found that Phil was looking unwaveringly into his eyes. They exchanged a knowing look. 

Dan sat down at the head of Phil's bed, leaning against the wall, and hugging his knees to his chest. 

"Do you wanna talk about what happened earlier?" Phil asked. 

Dan didn't. Mainly because it didn't really matter. Not right now. He shook his head. 

"Wanna watch a movie?" Phil asked. He told Dan to pick one from his shelf, and then went to the bathroom to change." 

When Phil came back, they curled up at opposite ends of the bed and watched Avengers Assemble. 

"Ya know, as much as Alex likes Scarlett Johanson, I think Chris Hemsworth is much hotter," Phil turned to Dan as the credits started to roll, only to find him with his eyes closed, fast asleep. 

Phil chuckled to himself. He watched Dan for a few minutes, enjoying how peaceful he looked, before standing up to switch off the television. Being very careful so as not to wake him, Phil moved the other boy so that he was lying in the bed, his head against the pillow. Phil covered him over with the duvet, before crawling under it himself. He turned off the light and closed his eyes. 

"Goodnight, Dan," He said softly. 


	10. ten

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys wake up together

Phil woke to a warm weight over the left side of his body, and a face using his chest as a pillow. Dan's arm was slung lazily over Phil's torso. Phil thought about moving away, but decided against it, choosing instead to bring his hand up and run his fingers through Dan's hair. The brown-haired boy shifted slightly in his sleep so that he was nestled into the crook of Phil's shoulder. A few minutes later Dan began to stir, lifting his head, and looking around in confusion.

"Phil?"

"It's okay. You're okay." Dan lowered himself back onto Phil's chest and groaned.

"What time is it?" he mumbled, groggily.

"Just after 8."

"I should get home." Dan didn't sound very happy about this. Phil replied with an unintelligible mumble, as he wrapped an arm around Dan. Dan breathed in softly before moving away. The Dan slowly got to his feet, scooping up the clothes he'd been wearing the day before, before padding to the bathroom. 

Phil, left alone for a few minutes, dragged himself out of bed and changed into jeans and a t-shirt. He used his window as a makeshift mirror and fixed his hair as best he could. His contact lenses were in the bathroom so he put on glasses. 

Dan slipped back into the room, and they smiled at each other for a second.

"You look cute like that," Dan said before he could stop himself. Phil blinked at him in surprise. 

"Like what?"

Dan appeared very interested with the floor before seemingly giving up on that plan and switching to just staring at Phil shyly. 

"Your hair's all fluffy, and your glasses... I dunno." Dan's voice was quiet as if saying something forbidden. 

Phil just smiled for a moment, making something in Dan's stomach twist before his brain shut it down. No, he thought. Phil is just your friend. 

"You can talk, hobbit hair." Dan's hair was starting to show his natural curls like it always did when he had just woke up. Dan blushed.

"I should probably go." He said when he returned to reality. 

"Why?" Phil hadn't meant it to come out so whiny. 

"Adrian. I need to make sure things are okay when he gets home."

"Why wouldn't they be? Is everything alright? Adrian can come here, or we can sort something out." Phil sounded worried.

Dan hesitated.

"Phil, my mum was with someone last night. They were yelling and...doing other things. I couldn't be there. And from the sounds of it, this guy really doesn't want to meet Adrian and me." Dan looked at the floor while Phil searched his face. 

"Okay. Hey, text Zoey, she owes me a no questions asked." Phil spoke calmly.

Dan looked at him a little puzzled.

"You can get her to keep Adrian there until it's okay for him to come home," Phil explained. "She won't ask questions."

"Okay. Thanks." Dan 

They walked downstairs and grabbed a cookie each, saying good morning to Kath on their way out. 

Phil stopped Dan when they got to his doorway, wrapping his arms around his waist. Dan returned the hug gratefully. As he pulled back, Phil caught his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

"Call me, if you need anything, or you wanna talk, or whatever." Phil turned and headed back home.

Dan took a deep breath, before slowly opening his front door. Dan was careful not to make a sound. He climbed the stairs silently, skipping the creaky stair three from the top. 

His mum's bedroom door was open a crack, and someone was snoring loudly. Holding his breath, Dan tiptoed up to the door and peered in. Dan was relieved to see only his mother slumped on the bed. He closed the door on his way out, knowing his mum was a heavy sleeper, and a town crier couldn't wake her now. 

When he got to his room, he pulled out his phone and texted Phil. 

**Dan: He's not here.**

**Phil: Is your mum okay?**

**Dan: Who knows? Adrian can come home though, it's fine.**

**Phil: Go eat breakfast. My mum is annoyed at me for letting you leave without feeding you.**

**Dan: Ok. I need to shower and change too. I'll talk to you later.**

**Phil: ok. Cya**

**Dan: Hey, Phil.**

**Phil: Yea?**

**Dan: Thank you. For everything.**

The next day, Phil is walking through the school corridor alone, when he hears footsteps behind him. He turns off in another direction but the person follows him. Phil reaches a dead end, with empty classrooms on either side. He turns around slowly, only to find himself face to face with Brandon Peters. They stare at each other for a minute. 

"Are you dating the Queer?" Brandon says, his voice rough. 

"He's got a name," Phil says, avoiding the question on purpose. 

"I know," Brandon says simply. The look on his face is undecipherable. 

"Why do you look at me like that?" Phil asked. 

Brandon frowned at him fro a second before taking a step towards him, and before Phil could flinch away, he crashed his mouth against Phil's. Phil stood in shock for a second, before aggressively shoving the boy away. Brandon Peters wasn't as tall as him, but he was built like a tank. Brandon was staring at him again, but this time in fear. 

"You're straight?" He asked. 

"No, I just don't like you," Phil said dismissively.

"You won't tell anyone though. You're too nice for that."

Phil rolled his eyes and folded his arms, confidence pouring into him as he noticed the power dynamic had shifted. 

"If you or your cronies ever even think about hurting Dan, or me, or any of my friends again, all promises go out the window."

Brandon just nodded.

Phil moved past him and walked off down the corridor, before turning on his heels to add. 

"If you decide you want to be a decent human being, there's always room at our table." He said, before disappearing in the direction of the library. Phil knew what it was like to be scared and confused. To not want anyone to know. It had never caused him to be cruel, but he understood where Brandon was coming from. 

"As a friend though? Your heart obviously belongs to someone else."

"As a friend." Phil echoed before disappearing in the direction of the library.

When he got there, he weaved his way through the shelves and tables to sit with Theo and Alex, who also had free periods then. 

"You free this Friday?" Theo asked as Phil sat down. 

Phil looked at him in surprise, wondering if someone was making a move on him for the second time that day. 

"I dunno, why?" He replied, slowly.

Alex answered before Phil could. 

"Theo's parents are out of town and his brother said he'd get us drinks," She announced excitedly. 

Theo nodded. "My brother is spending the weekend with his girlfriend, and my parents are going for a second honeymoon or something. I dunno. Anyway, I'm having everyone 'round. Alex is calling it a party, I call it an opportunity to play videogames drunk. You in? And Dan too?"

Phil knew Dan's work schedule varied but was pretty sure he could convince him to take Friday off. He grinned at them. "Sure."

Dan didn't take too much convincing. 


	11. Eleven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A party brings up some truths, on all fronts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooo things are going on. Let me know what you think, Thanks for reading!

Dan and Phil arrived at Theo's house together, with an offering of a cake made by Phil's mum. Theo took it and led them into a dimly lit room where Alex and Zoey were pouring drinks. 

"AYYYYY," Alex yelled, already a little drunk. "The boys are here." 

Dan took the drink that was handed to him and started sipping it, cautiously. It was sweet. 

Before he had a chance to ask what it was, Theo was dragging over to the sofa. 

"Phil said you're good at videogames. I've been stuck on this level forever." Dan was handed a controller and after a long sip of his drink, he clicked start. The others gathered around to watch as Dan and Theo played, and it was only a few attempts until they had finished the level. 

When they did, Alex stopped them from starting the next one. 

"This is boring, we should play some other games. "

"We are nowhere near drunk enough." Zoey agreed. "Let's play a drinking game."

Dan downed what was left of his drink and went to get a refill. 

"We doing shots?" He asked. He had never done them before but he had seen it in movies. 

"Yeah. well, I don't have shot glasses, but yeah." Theo said.

Dan brought a bottle of vodka and over and sat on the floor next to Zoey.

"What game are we playing?" Phil asked. 

"Umm, we should start with most likely to. It'll ease us into it, only one person drinks each round." Alex answered.

"What are the rules?" Dan asked, wondering what he was about to be exposed for. 

"Someone says a thing, then everyone points to the person who is most likely to do it. Whoever has most votes drinks."

"And a drink is a shot?" Zoey asked.

"Yeah." 

"I'll start," Phil said, excitedly. "Who is most likely to get arrested."

After a moment's hesitation, everyone pointed to Alex. Dan poured her a drink and she downed it. 

"What would she do, though?" Zoey asked, thoughtfully. 

"Steal a road sign," Phil answered instantly.

"Is that what you think I've got planned for later?" Alex smirked.

"I think the rest of us are too innocent, like, Zoey's a responsible older sister, I'm just really tame, Dan's...well, Dan. And Theo's just all around innocent."

"I've been arrested," Theo spoke up, for the first time in a little while. "I had an ex-girlfriend who convinced me to shoplift." 

Everyone in the room looked shocked, for more reasons than one. 

"Okaaaaaaay. Zoey said, giggling. "Alex, your turn."

"Most likely to be scared of a horror film." 

Dan and Theo pointed at Zoey, and Zoey, Phil and Alex all pointed at Dan 

Dan took a shot took a shot, wincing at the taste. 

"Who's most likely to get away with murder." Everyone pointed at Dan, who pointed at Phil.

"Why me?" Whined Dan as he took another shot.

"You're nice so no one would suspect you. But you also have the whole mysterious vibe going for you. Like, Phil moved here like a month ago, but we still know more about him than we do you." Alex explained, slurring her words a little.

"Okay," Dan mumbled. "Who is most likely be unable to keep a secret." 

Phil was pointed at. 

"You all definitely should have gone for Theo in that one." He grumbled, tipsily. "He's the only one of us who's straight and being in the closet is like, the ultimate secret."

Dan stared at Phil. Zoey and Alex looked between Dan and Phil and started cackling. 

Phil caught Dan's eye and smiled.

"What?" He asked. 

"You're not....straight?" Dan said quietly, in a tone that made the others shy away. Alex started talking to Zoey and Theo about interesting lines of questioning, giving Dan and Phil space for a moment. 

"You really are clueless aren't you."

Dan chuckled nervously, his brain processing this new information. 

"Why didn't you tell me?" 

"You never asked," Phil pointed out. "And besides, I wasn't exactly hiding it."

Dan thought back. It was kinda obvious now. 

"So not straight. Gay? Bisexual?"

"Gay. Definitely gay." Phil answered. Dan continued to stare at his face. He considered kissing him, but then remembered they were in a room of people. 

Phil took a shot and then turned back to the group. 

"Okay, so, who's not drunk enough?" Phil looked around. "Most likely to hate on Scarlett Johanson."

Theo took a shot before anyone could point.

"Most likely to be crazy in bed?" He smirked.

Alex immediately pointed at Zoey, with such a knowing look on her face that the others followed suit. 

There was a soft whooping noise from Theo and Dan. 

They continued on for a few rounds before Alex announced she was bored and wanted to play Truth or Dare.

"Zoey." She said, staring at her girlfriend. "Truth or dare."

"Dare." 

"Give Phil a lap dance." 

Zoey went bright red and took a shot. 

"Okay new rule you're only allowed three passes. You have to take a shot for each."

"Sure," Zoey said. "Dan, you go."

"Truth." He said, guessing it was safer. 

"Last person you slept with." Dan's mind being fairly innocent, he just nodded to Phil. 

"He means just sleeping. He slept at mine last week." Phil clarified, shooting Dan a funny look. 

"Yeah, but like, in the same bed?" Alex leaned forward in her seat.

Dan nodded reluctantly. 

Dan chose Theo to go next. 

"Dare," Theo replied. 

Dan looked at him for a second before saying "Go change into your mother's clothes."

Theo left the room, laughing, and returned a few minutes later wearing a skirt and a blouse that was far too big for him. 

Everyone laughed. 

Theo picked Phil. 

Phil picked truth. 

"When was your first kiss with a guy?" He asked, smiling.

"Monday," Phil said, without thinking. Zoey looked at Dan, who was just looking sadly at the floor. 

The mood of the room shifted a little. Everyone had questions but Dan's presence in the room stopped them from asking. 

"Okay, Alex, your turn."

"Dare." 

"Lick Theo's foot."

The "Ewww" came in stereo. 

Theo protested. "Why am I a part of this?"

"You can drink and send it to someone." Phil resolved. 

Theo downed a shot and said Phil's name. Phil groaned as Alex moved from her seat on the sofa, and ducked her head down. She licked pulled off Phil's sock and licked a stripe down the top of his foot. Phil squirmed. 

"I don't like it." 

Dan laughed. "I would be a little worried if you did." 

Alex, returning to her seat, pointed at Dan. 

"Dare." 

"Eat something off of Phil's body." Dan's eyes went wide. He looked at Phil. 

"You okay with this?" 

"It might be fun." Phil gave Dan a lopsided grin, as Theo went to the kitchen. He returned with both hands behind his back. Dan picked a hand, and Theo threw a packet of hula hoops at him.

Phil took his shirt off, and Dan stared at him for a moment, before getting him to lie down on the floor, and kneeling next to him. 

"Omg get a room, guys." Zoey laughed, watching the looks exchanged between the pair. 

Dan carefully opened the packet and poured the crisps onto Phil's stomach. 

Theo sat behind Dan and held his hands back. 

Alex, who was watching intently, laughed and said "Ready. Steady. Go!" 

Dan dipped his head down and started picking up hoops with his mouth. His lips grazed Phil's skin, causing Phil to giggle. 

When he had finished, Theo let go of his hands, and Phil sat up, putting his t-shirt back on. 

Phil checked the time. His mum knew he was drinking, but imposed a curfew. 

"I've gotta go." He stood up, stumbling a little. 

Dan was at his side, instantly, holding him in place. 

"Ok, Philly, just stay with me, okay, I'll get you home." Dan was a little less drunk than Phil, which was surprising considering Phil had drunk a little less.

After a round of goodbyes, Dan led Phil outside, and they walked down the street, in the direction of Orchard Lane. 

"Thank you, Dan. For walking me home." 

Dan mumbled an acknowledgement, taking Phil by the elbow and guiding him along the pavement. 

When they got to his house, Dan let go of Phil and tried to move away, but Phil held tight onto Dan's sleeve. Dan turned to check if he was okay, and suddenly, Phil's mouth was on his. Dan leaned into it, until Phil moved his hand up to cup Dan's cheek, and attempted to deepen the kiss. The strong taste of alcohol brought Dan back to his senses. He pulled away and put a hand on Phil's chest, keeping him at a safe distance.

"What?" Phil mumbled, confused. 

"Not now. You're drunk. Hell, I'm drunk. You might not feel the same way tomorrow."

"Dan, this isn't because of-"

Dan cut him off. "Knock on my door tomorrow, after you've slept off your hangover. Drink lots of water." With that, he turned and slipped through his front door, leaving Phil to stumble down the path home. 


	12. Twelve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SO much flufff omg

Phil woke at around 8 to his head pounding, and his body aching as if he had fallen down three flights of stairs. He took the tablets Kath had left on his bedside table with a glass of water. After putting on his glasses, Phil padded downstairs in a haze. Kath tutted at him when she saw him and told him to get back to bed. He obliged reluctantly. Four hours later he woke again, this time in a better state. The previous night came flooding back to him and he groaned as he remembered how he and Dan had left things. All the things he'd said, all the things he hadn't. All he knew now was that he needed to talk to his best friend. 

Dan opened the door before Phil could knock. He took a step out and shut the door behind him, leading Phil round the back of his house. They sat on the wall and looked at the floor for a minute. Phil had known he needed to see Dan, but now he couldn't figure out what to say.

"Hey, can I ask you something?" Dan looked into Phil's eyes for a second. He knew whatever the answer to this question was, it would hurt him, but he needed to know.

"Sure." Phil smiled hesitantly. 

"Who did you kiss? Like, last week?" Dan spoke quickly, desperately.

"I can't answer that." Phil shook his head, apologetically. "Not my secret to tell."

"So I know him." Dan deduced, looking at the floor. Phil stayed silent. 

No one talked for a few minutes. 

"Are you dating him?" Dan asked. "Do you like him?" 

"Dan. Stop." Phil took Dan by the sleeve waited for Dan to look at him.

"I just want to know if..." Dan pushed, feeling that after all this, Phil owed him an explanation, at east.

"No. I'm not into him, I don't even like him. He kissed me and I pushed him away. It was an awful first kiss."

Dan took in this information. 

"Why didn't you tell me you were gay?" He asked, more quietly this time. "Were you trying to stop me from falling for you? Easier than just saying you weren't interested." 

"Why on earth would I do that?" Phil blinked at him in confusion. Dan made a "pfft" noise and turned away. Phil caught his arm and pulled them together. 

"Dan I," Phil started, stumbling over his words a little. "I'm sorry. I should have told you. I just wanted to give you an out. I wanted to get to know you, I wanted you to get to know me. I didn't want you to feel pressured, or just be with me cause you were lonely. It's not like I lied, I hinted so many times. I figured you'd work it out, and then you could decide whether or not to acknowledge it."

Dan gave him a confused look. 

"Dan, do you know what I'm saying?" Phil searched his face.

Dan shook his head. 

Phil looked flustered, for a second, and looked around for inspiration, trying to figure out how to phrase it. 

"I like you. I wanted you to get to know me before you decide whether you like me."

"You like me?" Dan blinked. He looked down to find that Phil had at some point taken his hands. 

"That is one hell of an understatement." Phil breathed. 

Dan smiled at Phil, finally getting it. 

He leaned in slowly, and Phil met him halfway. This time, there was nothing holding them back. It started slowly as they got used to each other, all Dan could think of was here and now, Phil's scent, his hands in Dan's hair, his tongue in Dan's mouth. His heart beat so fast and he forgot how to breathe. It was soft and gentle and nothing like the kiss they shared the night before. 

A few minutes later, there was a noise and they both jumped and pulled back. 

"Hey, can you guys, like, not make out in the back yard? I can see you from my desk chair and I'm trying to do homework." It was Adrian's voice. 

Dan looked up, towards the voice, to find Adrian looking down at them from his bedroom window. Dan shot Phil a mortified look. 

Dan ran around the house and thudded up the stairs. In his absence, Adrian looked down at Phil and waved.

"Hey, Raven. You alright?"

Phil couldn't bring himself to speak. 

Dan exploded into Adrian's room, in a frenzy. He stopped and looked at Adrian, catching his breath and smoothing down the hair that had been ruffled up by Phil's hands.

"Um...Hello?" Adrian smirked. 

"Me and Phil, that was... How much you see? Cause it was just.." Dan couldn't seem to tangibly string a sentence together. He didn't know whether his state was more from the kiss or the unexpected ending. 

"Dan. Chill. I'm ten, not five. Be gay if you want, I don't care. I would be equally grossed out by you making out with anyone, man, woman, ogre."

Dan was taken aback by this. 

"Phil's cool. Don't be a dick to him."

Dan stared at his little brother in surprise. Sometimes he still thought of Adrian as a little kid, and even though Adrian was still childish in many respects, Dan didn't give him enough credit when it came to how much he understood.

"Okay." He said, shortly. He studied Adrian's face for a minute more before walking over to his bedroom window and looking down at Phil. 

"Grab a jacket, and maybe some cake, I'll see you in like, five minutes." It was only then that Phil realised Dan had been in pyjamas. He gave Dan a minute to get changed, returning to his house. 

Kath saw him burst through the front door and laughed at him. 

Phil caught sight of himself in the mirror next to the door, and his face became impossibly redder. He flattened his hair down and stared at himself until he calmed enough.

"Woah, child, what happened to you?" Kath said, from the kitchen table. Phil just grinned and ran upstairs to find his jacket. A few minutes later he was back and asked his mum if she had baked anything recently. Kath rolled her eyes and pointed to a Tupperware box with cookies, cake, and sandwiches. 

"Take the box, I put it together for you. Figured you and Dan might want some food." She smiled kindly. For a minute Phil wondered if she knew, before dismissing the probability. He spent most Saturdays with Dan. This wasn't unusual. 

What was unusual was how, as soon as they were away from the main streets, Dan took Phil's hand in his own. And this time, when they got to the river, they didn't start eating right away, nor did they skim stones into the river, or chat about their friends. Instead, Phil laid his jacket out on the grass, and they laid down together, in a safe comfortable silence. Their hands stayed intertwined, as Dan rested his head on Phil's chest, and cuddled into him. Phil pulled him close. A while later they shared out the food and started eating. They enjoyed each other's company, giggling, teasing, and messing on. It felt normal, except for the sporadic kisses and blatant compliments. Dan couldn't stop smiling. Phil, thinking he looked cute, whipped out his phone, and took a few pictures of him, before putting his arm around Dan and taking a photo of the two of them together. 

One of the kisses got a little out of hand, and Dan pulled them both up, so they were sitting instead of laying, and moved so he was straddling Phil's thighs.

"This okay?" Dan questioned. Phil simply replied by kissing him. 

Phil's hands explored, working their way from his jaw, down the front of his shirt, before stopping at the hem, and lifting it up a little, so he could place his hands on the bare skin underneath. Dan gasped, taking his mouth off of Phil's for a second. He then kissed a line down Phil's neck, starting just under his ear and ending at his collar. Phil pushed into the contact as he felt Dan bite down gently. He then pressed his tongue against the area for a second, before sucking hard. Phil had been told enough horror stories from Alex to know this was gonna leave a mark. He didn't care. He pulled at Dan's hand and intertwined their fingers, as Dan pulled away, pausing for only a second to admire his work before his lips were on Phil's again. A few minutes later, Dan pulled away, pushing at Phil's shoulder's so he lay back down. For a second Phil's brain flashed with red, wondering what Dan had planned, but Dan simply kissed at his jaw once more, before moving himself down a little so he could tuck his head under Phil's chin, and nuzzle into the soft fabric of his shirt. Phil squeezed Dan's hands where they were still intertwined, and put his other arm around his waist to hold him as close as possible. 

At six, they woke to a ringing noise. It took them a second to figure which one of them the noise was coming from, considering they were so entangled that they both felt the vibration. There was a mad scramble to find it, which resulted in a lot of giggling. When Phil answered the phone, his voice was sleepy and playful. His mother thought he sounded drunk.

"Heyyyyyy. How are you? what time is it?" He said into the phone, in a daze, unsure of even who was calling. 

"Child, it's time for tea. Come home, you can bring Dan if you like."

"What's for tea?" Phil yawned, which slurred the end of his sentence. 

"Are you alright? I thought we said you had to tell me if you were drinking so I can check in." Kath spoke, sounding a little concerned, but not overly fussed. 

"He's not drunk, Kath, I promise. He's just woken up." Dan said, leaning towards the phone. If this is suspicious, Kath ignores it. 

"You boys get yourself home, now, please. It's almost ready." 

Dan stood up slowly before reaching a hand down for Phil, pulling him to his feet. They gathered up their things and started to walk home. 

"Are you coming to mine?" Phil asked. 

"Do you want me to?" Dan countered, taking Phil's hand and squeezing it. 

"Yeah, but, well, I'm not out to my parents yet," Phil spoke hesitantly. "So we can't..." He gestured to their hands. 

"I know. It's okay. We can keep it on the down-low." Dan put his hand up to where he had marked Phil. "You're gonna have to do something about that though." He laughed. He dropped Phil's hand when they started to walk through more populated streets, and when they reached their houses, Dan dragged Phil into his own house, pulling him up the stairs and into his bedroom. He guided Phil onto his bed, before turning around and searching his drawers. 

"Um...Dan?" Phil mumbled. "I don't think I'm really ready for..." Dan turned round to look at Phil, studying his face for a second before and bursting out in laughter.

"Not what's happening, you spork. My little brother's in tout laughing. he room next door!" Dan fished through his drawers and pulled out concealer makeup. Sitting next to Phil on the bed, he positioned Phil's head where he wanted it, before applying the makeup. Phil looked around the room, curiously. 

The room was mainly black and white, with anime posters, miscellaneous merch, and a photograph of him and his brother pinned to the wall. His desk was covered in textbooks, with a set of hair straighteners balanced precariously on the top. The wardrobe had been left open, showing off his collection of black, long-sleeved t-shirts and jumpers. 

His attention returned back to Dan, who was smiling at him, adorably.

"Reminds me of the day we met," Dan said, as he gently pressed his fingers against Phil's neck. "Only backwards."

"And last time it wasn't me who gave you those bruises." Phil snorted. Dan looked indignant. 

"Hey!! You liked it." Dan insisted.

Phil bit his lip and nodded seductively, looking Dan right in the eye. Dan got to his feet and put the makeup on his desk, before leading Phil back downstairs. They headed over to Phil's house in silence. 

After dinner, Dan returned home and looked at his phone to find Phil had messaged him the pictures from today. 

Phil: Can I send these to Zoey? 

Dan: Whhhhhhyyyy?

Phil: She told me to tell her right away if something happened.

Dan: She told me that too. But I reckon it would be a lot more fun to just wait for them to figure it out. 

Phil: I see what you're getting at. :) sounds fun.

Dan: That reminds me, I said I'd message her about homework.

Phil: Hey! I'm in that class!

Dan: But we had to choose between two poems and you picked the other one. Plus she's less likely to distract me ;)

Phil: Okay. Have a good night, Dan. I'll resume distracting you tomorrow. 

Dan: GoodnightXX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading, comment telling me what you think. <3


	13. thirteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> mostly just a text convo, references to sex, a lot of just dirty-minded filth tbh

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. it took a while cause i kept accidentally deleting it, but with every rewrite i added more sass and filth, so enjoy.  
> Let me know what you think in the comments please leave a kudos, or share if you like it, and i'll try to keep updating regularly. My tumblr is @gay-internet-mafia come say hi.

Dan had to work Sunday. Or, more accurately, Dan had to stand in an empty chippy for hours on Sunday. 

He messaged the group chat out of boredom. 

**~Group~**

**Dan: can we play a game? there’s no customers and i’m bored.**

**Zoey: what sort of game?**

**Dan: anything. Just something**

**Alex: Can we play paranoia? I wanted to play it the other day but u guys had to go.**

**Theo: This sounds like a bad idea, but go on.**

**Alex: okay, so one person picks another, and they have to ask them a question in a private message. The person has to answer the question in the group chat. The questions will be something like “Who has the best ass” or “Who is most annoying?” if someone answers with your name, you can decide whether or not you wanna know the question.**

**Dan: can i start? I choose Zoey**

**Zoey: OOO bring it on BIATCH**

**~private~**

**Dan: ok, so.. if you had to eat one of us, who would you eat? providing we’re all already dead, and this is in a totally non-kinky way.**

**Zoey: so platonic cannibalism?**

**Dan: Yep**

**~group~**

**Zoey: Phil.**

**Alex: Is Phil even playing?**

**Phil: yes, but i don’t want to know. in my head, u just said i have the best ass, and i wanna retain that notion.**

**Dan: Oi! We all know i have the best ass**

**Alex: You wish**

**Phil: Your ass is cute Dan, but its flat as a pancake**

**Alex: Not even like a good pancake. your ass be a crepe, Danny boi**

**Zoey: That really wasn’t the question but i like that you’re all comparing asses now.**

**Theo: Is nobody gonna question that Phil just said Dan has a cute ass?**

**Dan: Why would they? It’s true**

**Theo: Debatable, but either way, Phil seems to have put some thought into your ass.**

**Alex: thought isnt the only thing Dan wants Phil to put into his ass**

**Zoey: ALEX**

**Alex: ZOEY**

**Phil: moving on. Zoey, pick someone.**

**Zoey: I pick Alex, i’ll DM her a question.**

**Dan: … Alex needs to get her head out of the gutter.**

**Alex: I’m just joking. Also, my answer is Dan.**

**Dan: I wanna know the question.**

**Alex: Do i DM it to you or write it on here?**

**Dan: You can put it on here. If it ends our friendship i want the others to have all the information to choose a side.**

**Alex: I think you’ll be more pleased than offended.**

**Theo: Just tell us the bloody question**

**Alex: Who would give the best blowjob?**

**Phil: Why him?**

**Zoey: Well its between Dan and Phil, cause they’re the ones that like guys.**

**Alex: Yeah, and between the two of you, Phil is slightly more innocent. Plus, Dan gives off that kinda vibe.**

**Dan: LMAO what vibe?**

**Alex: ‘Practices deepthroating on a banana’ kinda vibe**

**Dan: ...What do i even do with this information?**

**Phil: Why a banana? Also, if you do do that, do you put a condom on it? So it’s not, like, rough?**

**Dan: I DON’T DO THAT.**

**Phil: ...sure**

**Dan: but if you want tips, google it. incognito mode though.**

**Zoey: Are the two gay guys on this chat giving each other deepthroating advice? Guys, i thought you were innocent.**

**Dan: For the record, i don’t practice, or know that much, but phil seemed curious.**

**Theo: This is utter filth. Why am I friends with you people?**

**Zoey: You love us really.**

**Dan: Okay, Alex, pick a person.**

**Alex: Theeeeo**

**Theo: Oh fuck.**

**Zoey: This coud be good.**

**Theo: Zoey**

**Zoey: ooooo I don’t wanna know.**

**Theo: okay. Phil, I’m DMing you a question.**

**Phil: Dan.**

**Dan: i wanna know, can you DM it to me?**

**Theo: I will DM you the question, if you wanna discuss it has to be on the group chat.**

**~private~**

**Theo: Who smells the best?**

**~group~**

**Dan: Okay i don’t care if they know about this.**

**Phil: about what?**

**Dan: the question, you spoon**

**Phil: oh. sure.**

**Dan: who smells best?**

**Zoey: Wait, Phil, what do you think Dan smells like?**

**Phil: He smells like warm.**

**Alex: You guys are adorable.**

**Theo: For once i agree with Alex. You guys are cute.**

**Dan: Do you just ship us cause we’re the only gay guys you know?**

**Zoey: No, you idiots, we ship you because you say shit like “He smells like warm”**

**~private~**

**Phil: Do you wanna just tell them?**

**Dan: Tell them what?**

**Phil: That you’re my boyfriend.**

**Dan: Am I?**

**Phil: Yeah?**

**Phil: i mean, i hope so?**

**Phil: i want you to be**

**Phil: Are you?**

**Phil: Do you want to be?**

**Dan: OMG chill.**

**Phil: sorry.**

**Dan: is this you asking me out?**

**Phil: maybe?**

**Dan: its yes or no question.**

**Phil: Yes?**

**Dan: U seem unsure.**

**Phil: jfc just tell me whether you’re my boyfriend or not.**

**Dan: sorry, being a little shit is fun.**

**Phil: still haven’t given me an answer.**

**Dan: No.**

Phil had a mini heart attack.

**Dan: i haven’t.**

**Dan: I would love to be your boyfriend.**

**Phil: I hate you.**

**Dan: I hate you too. <3**

**Phil: so are we telling them.**

**Dan: the information may only be revealed in the context of a joke.**

**Phil: Oh, so our relationship is a joke to you? I’m offended.**

**Dan: i stand by my request. And it better be a good joke.**

**Phil: I’ll leave that to you.**

Dan looked back at the group chat to find the others were waiting for Phil to ask a question.

**~group~**

**Alex: Phiiiiiiil come oooooon**

**Phil: Dan**

**~private~**

**Phil: which of us would you most like to make out with?**

**Dan: i hate you.**

Dan debated with answering with one of the girl’s names and hoping they don’t want to know, but if they did, it would be difficult to explain away. Phil would be the logical answer, all things considered.

**~group~**

**Dan: Phil**

**Alex: Wait if you answer with the person who asked, is there a way of knowing what you said?**

**Phil: I’ll flip a coin.**

**Dan: I don’t agree to these terms**

**Zoey: tough luck buttercup.**

**Phil: Heads is i tell, tails is i don’t**

**~private~**

**Dan: Really, you spoon?**

**Phil: Hey, the coin decides.**

**~group~**

**Phil: Heads. The question was “Which would you most like to make out with?”**

**Dan: I’m gay and two of you are girls and the other is straight. Did you really think i was gonna say anything else?**

**Zoey: Still. You wanna make out with him.**

**Dan: more than i want to make out with the rest of you. which is a really low bar.**

**Theo: lowkey offended.**

**Dan: sure. Anyway, i pick Zoey.**

**~private~**

**Dan: Who is most likely to be a sadist?**

**~group~**

**Zoey: Theo.**

**Theo: I don’t want to know. i feel like zoey would insult me.**

**Zoey: I’m nice to you!**

**Theo: Exactly. You’re nice to everyone. i feel like you’re nice in real life so in a game like this you would let all your resentment out.**

**Zoey: Why would i resent you? Also, i had to answer the question. its not my fault if that insults someone.**

**Dan: Yeah it’s my fault for asking a horrible question.**

**Theo: so it was bad! I don’t like you anymore.**

**Dan: It wasn’t that bad. not insulting so much as amusing.**

**Theo: I wanna know it now. you’ve psyched me out.**

**Dan: it was “Who is more likely to be a sadist?”**

**Alex: I agree**

**Theo: What? Okay so i am a sadist now?**

**Zoey: i’m sorry, its just that you’re like, Dan and Phil are jokey but are really just soft twinks, and i didn’t wanna call my girlfriend a sadist.**

**Dan: so its not that you know Alex well and know that she isnt a sadist, its that you don’t wanna call her that?**

**Zoey: Exactly.**

**Theo: Okay, sure. Fine. Zoey?**

**Zoey: WHat?**

**Theo: Pick someone.**

**Zoey: Oh yeah. Theo.**

**Theo: My answer is Alex.**

**Alex: I don’t want to know. A Zoey-Theo combo is bound to be bad.**

**Zoey: Sure. Theo, pick someone.**

**Theo: I pick Dan.**

**~private~**

**Theo: Who would be the worst phone sex line operator?**

**Dan: Where are you getting these questions from, jesus christ.**

**~group~**

**Dan: Alex**

**Alex: Ummm. me again? I keep getting picked.**

**Dan: Do you wanna know the question?**

**Alex: Oh go on then.**

**Theo: Who would be the worst phone sex line operator.**

**Alex: Are you basically saying my voice ain’t sexy?**

**Dan: No i just think you would be too sassy with the callers, and like, say something that makes them cry.**

**Zoey: niche humour.**

**Alex: I can be sexy though.**

**Zoey: Yeah but you wouldn’t be to skeevy guys calling a sex line. You’d be like “I’d suck on your dick baby, and then i’d bite it off because you’re a bastard.”**

**Theo: *Insert gif of john mulaney’s “We don’t have time to unpack all of that”***

**Alex: Ok, firstly, why is it skeevy men im talking to? could be queer girls, you don’t know. Secondly, if it is guys, I think a bigger problem than my inability to swallow my pride is that I know literally nothing about dicks.**

**Theo: Aren’t you bi?**

**Alex: Technically pan, i think, but i’ve never even kissed a guy.**

**Dan: Really? You should. 10/10 would recommend.**

**Zoey: You told me last week you had never kissed a guy. We were chatting about it on Thursday.**

**Dan: Thursday was a lifetime ago.**

**Alex: Ok spill. And seriously, you shouldn’t be flirting with Phil so much if you have a boyfriend.**

**Dan: Why not?**

**Alex: Your boyfriend might get annoyed. Jealous, whatever. And he has a right to.**

**Dan: I really don’t think my boyfriend minds me flirting with him.**

**Zoey: Penny in the air.**

**Alex: What? But who is this guy anyway? And how could you have met him since thursday? You spent friday with us and you said you were with Phil yesterday.**

**Theo: Seriously, Alex? Think about what you’re saying.**

**Dan: lets just continue with the game, huh? Its my turn to pick someone, no?**

**Zoey: Yep.**

**Dan: I pick Alex.**

**~private~**

**Dan: Who is my boyfriend?**

**Alex: But it has to be someone in the group.**

**Alex: Oh.**

**~group~**

**Alex: Phil.**

**Zoey: And the penny drops! At least I hope that’s what just happened.**

**Theo: Phil, do you wanna know what the question is?**

Dan realised at this point, that Phil hadn’t been on the group chat for a little while. Just as this thought came into his head, the bell attached to the chip shop door rang, and Dan quickly hid his phone and looked up at the customer. 

To his surprise, he was met with bright blue eyes, and raven hair. 

“What are you doing here?” Dan grinned.

“Am I not allowed to come to visit my boyfriend at work?” Phil asked, ducking under the counter and moving to put his arms around Dan’s neck. 

“Boyfriend,” Dan repeated. He liked the way it sounded. Dan leaned in to give Phi a quick peck on the lips.

“Hey, Phil the others know now.” Dan showed Phil the messages on his phone. 

“I thought you said it would be told in a joke?” 

“Alex being fucking clueless was funny,” Dan replied. Phil smirked. 

“I can think of someone else who was particularly clueless when it comes to us.” He teased, playing with one of Dan’s curls.

“Here.” Dan reached his arm out and took a photo of the two of them, Dan kissing Phil’s cheek and Phil grinning. They sent it to the group chat. 

**~group~**

**Phil: I think i know the question.**

**Theo: Gross, guys. Ugh, does this mean im the only single one again? I was a third wheel for so long, now i have to be a fifth wheel.**

**Alex: awwwww Happy for you guys**

**Zoey: Called it. and pissed at both of you, for not telling us the second it happened.**

**Alex: How did it happen?**

Dan gave them a run down of the last few days, filling in a basic storyline while keeping a few details to themselves. Dan couldn’t stop grinning. Not only did he have an amazing boyfriend, he also had some amazing, supportive friends. 

“Are you okay?” Phil asked him, and he only then realised the tears in his eyes. 

“Yeah.” Dan said, and he meant it. “I just never thought I’d have this.”

Phil wrapped his arms around Dan’s waist, and pulled him close. 

“Do you think we did the right thing by telling them?” Dan mumbled into Phil’s shoulder. 

“Yeah, I mean, why not? It’s not like they’re gonna be dicks about it.” Phil replied.

“What if we break up?” Dan said in a small voice.

Phil’s reply was just as quiet, but said with a confidence that surprised Dan.

“What if we don’t?”


	14. Fourteen

Being back at school on Monday was weird. Phil found himself wondering, as he waited for Dan that morning if the people around him would be able to tell something was different. He felt different. Everything did. He wondered if his parents saw it.

Phil sat at his kitchen table, stirring his cereal slowly. After a little while, he heard the click of the front door and looked up to see Dan smiling at him. Phil grinned back, as Dan moved to get himself a bowl of cereal. This had become a regular thing for them, and Phil’s parents had got used to seeing the pair of them at the kitchen table when they came down for work.

“I’m working again tonight,” Dan told him, as he slid into the seat next to his.

“Whyyyyyyy?” Phil whined.

“Because I need money, you spoon. Trust me, I would rather be hanging out with you.”

“Still sucks.” Phil pouted. “Why can’t they just give you free money?”

Dan laughed at the childish expression on Phil’s face.

“Tell you what, I’ll work tonight and earn some money, and then tomorrow I’ll spend that money taking you out somewhere nice.”

Phil cheered up immensely.

“Dinner date on a Tuesday night?”

“Yep. Deal?”

“Deal.” Phil leaned over slightly to peck Dan on the cheek. Dan blushed furiously with a lopsided smile.

Dan stared at his boyfriend for a minute, as Phil finished off his cereal, before reaching up to play with a strand of Phil’s hair.

“You need to dye your hair again.” He spoke absentmindedly.

“Do I?” Phil glanced sideways at Dan.

“I mean, you don’t have to, I’m just saying, if you want it to be black, it’s not. Not entirely I mean, the roots are coming through.”

“Oh,” Phil said simply.

“Of course I don’t mind what colour your hair is, you could have neon green hair or no hair at all, and I would still like you. I think the ginger is cute, I think the black is cute, I think you’re cute.” Dan said all of this in about three seconds.

Phil rested his spoon against the side of his bowl and turned to blink at Dan.

“Chill. It’s okay. And I think you’re cute too.”

Dan, a little flustered, blushed and looked at his bowl.

“Also, my hair is not ginger. It’s brown.”

Dan gave him a boyish grin.

“As brown as a carrot.” He quipped.


	15. Fifteen

Phil stared at Dan in mock horror.

“Hey, don’t use the c-word. It’s a slur.”

“It’s a vegetable.”

“The C-word is not acceptable Daniel.” Phil chided.

“I agree. There are so many better words for the female genitalia.”

Both boys turned to see Kath stood in the door behind them. She didn’t seem scandalized or embarrassed, as many mothers would be when saying the phrase “Female genitalia.” More than anything she just seemed mildly amused.

Dan and Phil shared a knowing glance before bursting out laughing.

“Not the C-word we were talking about, Mum.” Phil’s voice was distorted with laughter.

“Unless there’s a part of the female anatomy referred to as the ‘carrot’” Dan chortled. Then continued a little quieter. “Then again, how would I know?” Phil kicked him under the table.

Phil looked up to see if his Mum had heard Dan’s comment, but she was already heading for the door.

“You should really eat breakfast Mum,” Phil suggested.

“No time. I’ll see you later, love.” She moved to kiss the top of Phil’s head, placing her hands on his shoulders and accidentally stabbing his neck with her keys in the process.

“Sorry.” She said when he flinched.

“Speaking of time, we should probably go,” Dan said as the door closed behind her.

“Yeah, come on, then.” Phil stood up, taking his bowl to the sink, before picking up a black backpack from the floor and slinging it over his shoulder.

Dan took the other one, and they headed out.

They had English first. The teacher put a video on, so neither boy had to get anything from a backpack.

In media class, Phil reached into his bag, looking for his pencil-case, only to realise his pencil case wasn’t in there. Dan’s was. Phil rummaged through the bag in confusion for a moment, before realising the mistake. This wasn’t his bag. He didn’t have post-it notes or a dog-eared copy of Dracula.

Getting an idea, Phil fished out the post-it notes and a pen.

_Dan, you’re cute. Now you’re smiling, so you’re even cuter. I like that I can make you smile like that. I wish I could see the smile on your face when you read this. The cute little dimple. Keep smiling._

As Phil was recapping the pen, a white scrap of paper appeared on his desk, with an untidy scrawl across it.

_IF I GIVE YOU A MESSAGE CAN YOU GIVE IT TO DAN?_

Phil looked up to see that Brandon Peters, who sat across the table from him, was staring at him intently.

“Depends on the message.” Phil mouthed silently.

Brandon nodded and passed started to write out another note.

_Tell him I’m sorry. For everything. I was just scared. I suppose you already told him you know what. That’s ok, it’s right that he knows._

Phil frowned.

 _I didn’t tell him._ He wrote back.

_Why?_

Phil thought for a minute.

_Because it is up to you who knows and when. No one has the right to take that away from you._

Brandon’s face fell as he read the note.

_I took that from Dan._

Phil put his arm over his desk conspicuously as his teacher walked behind him.

When the coast was clear, he scribbled back.

_And he’s allowed to be mad at you for that._

Brandon nodded sadly.

“Just tell him. Everything. But mostly that I’m sorry.” He said out loud.

Phil nodded, with a small smile.

At the end of the lesson, the teacher came around collecting the homework. Phil cursed when he realised, he didn’t have it. Dan did. He explained the mix-up to the teacher, who tutted, but told him to get it to her in the next ten minutes and she’d let him off. She then turned to dismiss the class. After putting his note to Dan in Dan’s pencil case, Phil closed Dan’s bag in a hurry and ran out of the room. He ran straight into Dan, who had been waiting outside.

Dan laughed at Phil’s frazzled state and dangled Phil’s bag in front of him. Phil took it gratefully, handing Dan’s to him and immediately rifling through his stuff in search of his homework, stumbling back into his classroom and handing it to his teacher.

The boys walked side by side till they reached their lunch table, where Alex immediately started asking them questions about they had started liking each other and what they liked about each other.

“I always kinda liked him. I mean, I thought he was straight for ages, so that didn’t help, but, yeah.”

“Awwwwww.” This was in stereo from Alex and Zoey.

“PHIL!” Dan yelled in Zoey’s direction.

Phil threw up his hands in protest.

“What did I do?”

Dan laughed, getting up from his seat, and heading towards the bin.

“Nothing.” He said, turning back to face the table but continuing to walk backwards. “You’re just always on my mind.”

This was punctuated by a whoop from the girls that quickly became laughter when Dan tripped ended up on the floor.

Phil got up to help him, leaving Alex and Zoey laughing and Theo muttering under his breath about fifth wheeling.


	16. Sixteen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Phil has something to tell Dan, and something to tell his parents.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyo another pretty short chapter. Let me know what you think and bother me on tumblr at  
> @gay-internet-mafia.

Dan found the note in his law class. It did make him smile, and had Phil been there, he would have agreed that Dan looked extremely cute, smiling like an idiot. 

When they met after classes ended for the day, they walked home, hand in hand. 

When they were far enough away from the school, Phil turned to Dan. 

"I have to tell you something, Dan."

Dan swallowed. This didn't sound good.

"yeah?"

"The guy who kissed me, before we were together." Phil paused. 

Dan's mind raced through all the things Phil could be about to say. 

Was Phil cheating on him? Was Phil being harassed by this guy? Was this guy threatening him?

"It was Brandon Peters."

Dan's eyes widened.

"So...?"

"He wanted me to tell you he's sorry."

"For kissing you or beating me up?" Dan asked, absently. 

"Both I suppose." Phil answered, "And Dan?"

"Yeah?" 

" You can't tell anyone. I know what he did to you but you have to be better."

"I wouldn't tell anyone," Dan assured him. They stopped walking as they reached Dan's house.

"This doesn't change anything between us does it?" Phil asked reluctantly. 

Dan looked more shocked than when Phil had revealed his mystery kisser. 

"Why on earth would it?"

"You liked him, once. Now that you know he's into guys, like, I don't know."

Dan shook his head at his boyfriend in disbelief.

"Shut your stupid face. It's you who makes me smile and it's you who I can't stop thinking about." 

Phil turned to look at him. 

"You said it yourself." Dan continued. "I can do a lot better than Brandon Peters. I mean, I don't know how, but somehow I have and I'm not trading down anytime soon."

Phil smiled and leaned in to kiss his boyfriend. It was meant to be a short peck but grew a little heated. Dan's hands moved to Phil's waist and played at the ends of his jacket. 

Phil whined a little when Dan pulled away.

Dan laughed and kissed Phil's nose playfully before ducking into his house.

Phil stayed still for a few seconds to catch his breath, before turning and heading into his house. 

There was an odd feeling about his kitchen. His parents sat at the table, both fiddling. Nigel appeared to be reading a magazine upside down. 

He saw Phil and looked up. 

"Hey kid, how are you? Anything interesting happens today?" There was something weird about his intonation. Kath seemed to glare at him. 

"Nothing much." Phil sighed, happily, and shoved his hands in his pockets. 

There was something in his right pocket. Paper. He played at it with his fingers for a second and realised one edge was sticky. Oh, Phil thought. He smiled at his parents and walked up the stairs. 

As soon as he was out of sight, he pulled the note from his pocket.

"you are the best thing, that's ever been mine."

Phil vaguely recognised it as as a lyrics from a Taylor Swift song. He made a mental note to tease Dan about that later. 

He looked at the note with a soppy grin on his face. He sang the lyrics softly to himself. There was a noise from downstairs and Phil jumped.

Then he felt guilty. Why was he sneaking around? It wasn't like his parents wouldn't be okay with it. He knows that, really. When he first realised he liked guys, he didn't tell them cause he wasn't sure. Then, it just became awkward, he didn't know how to say it. Now he did. 

He didn't tell them right away. He went to his room and played video games for a while vefore his phone rang. 

"Hey Phil, I'm really sorry, I can't take you out tomorrow. I messed up." Dan sounded upset. 

"Where are you?" Phil asked calmly. 

"Work. I broke a fryer thing and had to pay for it." 

"I'll be there in five minutes."

...

When Phil arrived, it was only Dan in the shop. He was slumped against the counter, head in his hands. He looked up when he heard the bell, and after ducking under the counter, crashed into Phil. 

"It's okay. I'm here." Phil said over and over. 

"I'm sorry," Dan spoke quietly into Phil's shoulder. " I really wanted to take you out." 

"Is that why you're so upset?"

"I lost two weeks pay and my manager yelled at me," Dan mumbled. "But yeah."

"I'm sorry, Dan. But it was an accident. Is it even legal to charge you?"

"I can't complain. It's not like I could get a job anywhere else."

Phil mumbled something unintelligible. 

"We can do something else tomorrow. I don't mind if you don't have money. I just want you. Video games and long hugs and silly notes. That's all I want."

"All you want?" Dan looked up at him with a glint in his eye. 

Phil just laughed. 

"Well actually, I do what something else." 

Dan's eyes widened and Phil giggled at him. 

"I want you to have dinner with me tomorrow."

"But we're broke." Dan frowned, sadly.

"I mean at mine, with my parents. I want to introduce to you."

"I literally talked to your mum this morning. It was a pretty unformal conversation too, I kinda remember something about genitalia." 

Phil laughed and blushed. 

"I mean, introduce you as my boyfriend."

Dan stared at him for a minute. 

"You mean...?"

"Yep. I mean it's not like they will be bad about it. They like you. They know you make me happy."

"I don't know what to say." Dan looked into the blue eyes that pierced his soul and broke down his walls. He understood what Phil was going through. He also knew that Phil's parents were awesome and he was really happy that Phil's coming out would be so happy. So different from his. This didn't stop him feeling a little flicker of jealousy. 

"Just say you'll come." Phil pleaded. 

"You sure you want me there?" Dan hesitated.

"Of course."

...

Dan didn't know why he was nervous. This was Phil's day. He had to be ok for Phil. 

He dressed up a little. He knew he didn't have to, but somehow it felt important he looked good tonight. 

Phil thought "good" was an understatement.

They didn't go straight to Phil's after school ended, instead, they headed to the riverbank, and laid down under the tree. They talked, about everything. About today, about tomorrow, about the end of the world. Dan thought climate change would be the end whereas Phil reckoned some alien somewhere would accidentally use our planet for a game of baseball. 

When Phil's mum called them home, they reluctantly got to their feet and headed home. They walked through the door in fits of laughter, Phil hanging onto Dan's coat, after tripping over the doorstep. 

"Heya, guys." Phil's mum greeted them as they burst through the door.

After a moment Phil let go of Dan's coat and smoothed it out. Dan glanced at Kath, who instantly averted her gaze. Five minutes later they were all sat at the table, serving out lasagne. Kath asked them about school. Phil talked about his media class and the project he was working on. He also told them about his homework, that he had almost missed the deadline for due to having taken the wrong bag. 

There was a pause in the conversation. 

Phil took a deep breath. 

"Mum, Dad. There's something you should know." He looked up to see his Dad shooting a glance at his Mum. 

Dan reached one hand under the table and interlocked his fingers with Phil's. Phil git confidence from the reassuring gesture. 

"Dan. He's my boyfriend. I'm gay."

He held his breath and waited for his parents' reaction. He could never have predicted what came next. 

Kath leaned down, sighing, rifled through her bag, before retrieving something and sliding it along the table towards Nigel. Dan leaned to see what it was. A twenty-pound note. Nigel looked smug.

Phil stared at them incredulously. 

"You...You were betting on my sexuality?"

Kath looked guilty. 

"Sorry, love. And not quite. we knew your sexuality already. You and Dan haven't exactly been subtle. If you didn't want to know, maybe don't kiss him in front of the house. Houses have windows." 

Phil blushed, and Dan held back a laugh. 

"So what were you betting on?" Dan asked. 

"How long it would be till you told us." 

Phil regarded then carefully. 

"So, this is ok?" He asked. 

"If you're happy then we're happy. You know Dan's welcome anytime, you've picked a good'n here." Kath said. 

Phil squeezed Dan's hand under the table."Yeah. I really have."


End file.
